In less than three months, she has gone from wearing size 38 to size 28.
The more she navigates grief and loss, the more it eats away at her.
She lost her mother the same way and now, she lives with the image of her sister taking her last breath the same way.
Before the year’s first crack of dawn, her worst nightmare came true.
Read more | ‘We still hear the gunshots’ - Sleepless nights for Malakapatlo family as they mourn Phomolang
She heard the sequence of gunshots that claimed her baby sister’s life just after the new year crossover. But by the time she arrived first at the scene, the shooters had already fled.
Attending the murder case of her sister and facing the suspects still feels surreal.
Just as Koketso Malakapatlo and her family held on to the relief of seeing the wheels of justice turn as bail was denied to the four men suspected to be behind the murder of four people, including her 28-year-old sister Phomolang and 14-year-old neighbour Vuyolwethu Ziwela, it was quickly snatched away on Thursday, 14 March when the case returned to court.
After a brief appearance at the Soshanguve Magistrate's Court in Pretoria, the charges against one of the suspects, Tshepo Mosemani were dropped.
From investigations, Tshepo was not located on the scene when the shooting happened.
Read more | Soshanguve mass shooting suspects to remain in custody after bail application postponement
Koketso is terrified. She and her family have been living in fear since the mass shooting.
“How many more people are going to die? What if they force entry at home to finish us all off?”, she asks as her voice cracks.
“Till today, I can’t heal. I broke down in court. I cry each and every day when I look at her pictures. Her room was right next to mine and now I can only ask her how she is from pictures. It’s so painful. I don’t wish anyone to lose someone the same way that I lost my sister.
“My kids can’t even cope at school because they were so close to my sister, she meant a lot to them and now they call me at school often to tell me that the kids are either always crying or sleeping in class. Phomolang was like their second mother.”
When she remembers how they loved Phomolang was meant to move into her approved house in January and be promoted to a managerial position in a big bank soon, she battles tears.
Ever since the incident that happened a few metres away from their gate, they always have their gate locked and as soon as 7pm strikes, the electric fence is also switched on.
The family is still considering moving back to Soweto, but because of Koketso’s business, the process hasn’t been easy.
Although the ward councillors were vocal at the first court appearance, they have since went silent and been no-shows as they are believed to fear the known perpetrators of crime in the area.
Sipho Kgomo, Sizwe Msibi and George Nyathi remain in police custody until the case returns to court on 19 April for trial proceedings.
