Tension as Young Mother Found Dead After Fleeing Abusive Boyfriend

A 26-year-old South African mother of one has been found dead in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, few months after fleeing her abusive boyfriend, whose name has not been mentioned.

Aviwe Jam Jam who went missing in July, is believed to have been beaten to death after she left her boyfriend. Aviwe’s lifeless body was identified by her family on Tuesday after it was found at the Vygieskraal Stadium, Athlone, on July 29, roughly 24km from her home.

According to Captain FC Van Wyk, though the post mortem still needed to be concluded.

Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula who visited the family at their home told journalists that police had been looking for the boyfriend in connection with other cases, according to News 24.

Mbalula urged women to report abuse and assault to police as soon as possible.

“Women, stand your ground because if you put up with abuse, you are putting up with death,” Mbalula warned.

Meanwhile, the boyfriend was arrested last week and is being investigated in connection with her murder.

ALSO READ: Olori Wuraola Makes a Call to Say No to Domestic Violence

Speaking to newsmen about the case, Aviwe’s aunt Nondumiso Zizi disclosed that her niece had told her mother that she had left for Pretoria and that she should not look for her because she was hiding from her boyfriend.

Aviwe and her boyfriend had been together for “several years” and have a 2-year-old child together.

”Aviwe was in an abusive relationship with this boyfriend. Aviwe’s mother tried to warn Aviwe of this, but she wouldn’t listen. She loved [her] boyfriend, so there was nothing we could do about it.

Aviwe’s mother suspected that Aviwe won’t come [back] alive because the way the boyfriend was treating her.”
See Also

Child care

See Laudable Law By France Court To Protect Children Of Suspected Abusive Parents

Zizi further revealed that Aviwe’s boyfriend had come to their home, looking for Aviwe and had attacked her stepfather with a panga who had to get 12 stitches after the attack, because he thought the family was hiding Aviwe.

”He [the stepfather] was bleeding and the whole yard was full of blood because of them and the boyfriend climbed on top of him and said they should kill him.”

The boyfriend was arrested shortly after for assaulting the stepfather, said Mbalula.

Aviwe attained a tourism degree from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Zizi added that her niece would be missed because she always “brought life” to her home.

Photo credit: Facebook/News24