Cape Town - The family of Cleo Diko, whose remains were discovered in a shallow grave four months after she went missing, are hopeful to have her body back home this week so they can lay her to rest.
Diko was remembered at a memorial service on Wednesday evening at a community hall in Auber Avenue, Mandalay where Police Minister Bheki Cele was in attendance.
It is alleged Diko, 34, was last seen with a man believed to be her boyfriend on the day she went missing in October last year.
The 38-year-old man has since been arrested and charged with her murder following the discovery of her decomposed body.
Family spokesperson Phillip Cekiso said the family was trying to cope with Diko’s death.
“The family… are delighted that the Minister came to the memorial service and has agreed that we should have Cleo’s body by next week and we should be able to do a proper burial,” he said.
Cele said police must not turn away young women when they come to police stations to report gender-based crimes.
“When a young woman comes to the police station, you stop everything and ensure you assist that woman. It is unfortunate that women are being killed by the people who are supposed to be protecting them. They are being killed by their lovers, husbands and ex-boyfriends. By the very same people that have vowed to love them,” he said.
Founder of missing persons organisation, Faith and Hope Missing Persons, Veranique Williams, who was at the scene when Diko’s body was discovered said: “I had to hold my tears .. I was sad, hurt and devastated that another young innocent woman’s life was taken away in this gruesome manner. It was another sad day in the streets of Mandalay.
“We also call on Minister Cele to ensure Saps has a missing persons unit that will only focus on missing persons,” she said.
According to the latest quarterly Crime Statistics, 1 101 women were murdered in South Africa, 17 271 were brutally assaulted, while another 1 636 women escaped with their lives between October 2022 to December 2022.
Cape Times