DJ Given Mathabela pleads for justice after daughter’s brutal murder

Nelspruit has been left in mourning following the brutal killing of 19-year-old Lusanda Hope Mathabela, the daughter of radio personality Given Mathabela. What began as an ordinary evening turned into a tragedy that has forced an entire community to confront the realities of violence that have become all too familiar in South African life.

Police reports indicate that Lusanda was attacked and stabbed to death inside her family home. Two 18-year-old suspects, Katlego Mokoena and Lungelo Sithole, were arrested shortly after the incident. Authorities say the pair allegedly climbed over a wall to gain access to the property before confronting her inside. One of the suspects is said to be a matric learner who was preparing to write his final exams.

For the Mathabela family, the crime has left a void that cannot be filled. In a deeply moving letter shared on social media, the grieving father described the anguish of losing his only child. “My heart has been torn out of my chest,” he wrote. “You were brutally stabbed by someone you trusted, someone who was no stranger to you. You did not deserve to die like this.”

Friends, neighbours and listeners who followed Mathabela’s radio career have gathered outside his home to light candles and pray for the family. Many say the tragedy has touched every corner of the community, reopening old fears about safety and trust.

Local leaders have called for justice and greater protection for women, warning that Lusanda’s death must not become another statistic in a country already overwhelmed by gender-based violence. Residents have urged law enforcement to strengthen patrols and improve community policing to prevent such crimes from happening again.

The suspects are expected to appear in court on 12 November for a bail hearing. Meanwhile, the Mathabela family continues to seek comfort in faith and memory. Lusanda’s friends describe her as bright, kind and full of promise, a young woman who carried warmth wherever she went.