R50K raised for ‘Lion Mama’ charged with stabbing daughter’s rapists

South Africans have rallied behind a mother who is charged with stabbing a man to death, and injuring two others, after allegedly finding them raping her 27-year-old daughter.

The Eastern Cape woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter, was arrested at the beginning of the month for murder and two counts of attempted murder. She was later released on R500 bail in the Lady Frere Magistrates’ Court.

Her story prompted outrage on social media and garnered tremendous support from community stakeholders.

Attorney Buhle Tonise is representing the mother pro bono. She told News24 on Monday that she was aware of the abject poverty of the area in which the woman lived. “When it comes to being human, it would not be proper to take any money.”

She said the mother stays in a two-roomed house with her daughter, eight-year-old granddaughter and two others. They had to survive every month on a R380 child grant, she said.

“The community was collecting R100 per household to contribute to her legal costs. That is not proper. Where are they going to get the money like that?”

She said the money should rather be used for counselling for the mother and daughter in Qumbu, near Queenstown.

Cape Town resident Natalie Kendrick started an online fundraiser to assist the “#LionMama” or “mother lioness” with legal and counselling fees.

The mother and her daughter were said to be in a fragile state. A growing R53 000 was raised by midday on Tuesday.

Another person who felt compelled to step in was Advocate Jackie Nagtegaal, managing director at legal assistance company Law For All.

“It is such a heart-breaking story,” she said.

Nagtegaal and her company had offered to pay for all the expert reports that were needed.
Tonise said she appreciated the gesture, as these reports were one of the most expensive components of a trial. The mother was expected back in court in October. – News24