Polokwane – For years, Molatelo Lillian Rapudi ensured that deadbeat dads were reminded and compelled to support the livelihoods of their offspring.
Employed for more than a decade as a maintenance officer at the Mahwelereng Magistrate’s Court in Mokopane in Limpopo, Rapudi earned a reputation as a champion for the vulnerable.
Inexplicably, the life of the committed ambassador in the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) was cruelly ended by someone she loved.
Rapudi was allegedly shot dead by her boyfriend, William Maphatha, on Thursday, 5 June 2025.
With family, friends, colleagues, and those she served reeling from the shock of the deadly violence visited upon Rapudi, Maphatha, a Deputy Director in the Facilities Provincial Office, took his own life.
All that remains are unanswered questions.
Rapudi was buried at Morebeng village, Soekmekaar, Limpopo, on Saturday morning, 14 June 2025.
Commenting on the tragedy ahead of the funeral, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said: “It is devastating that a woman, and a colleague, has lost her life so brutally, especially at the hands of someone who was entrusted with responsibility in our own ranks.
“Murder is a crime and a profound injustice, but it is particularly detestable when it targets a woman and occurs within a department that leads the country’s efforts to eradicate GBVF [Gender-Based Violence and Femicide].
“It is even more disheartening that this happened at a time when the Justice cluster is intensifying its interventions against the GBVF crisis,” said Minister Kubayi.
At the funeral, Minister Kubayi expressed deep sorrow at the tragic loss of two members of her department.
She called for urgent community-led interventions to put an end to the killing of women.
Last week, the deputy speaker for the Limpopo legislature and provincial secretary of the African National Congress Women’s League, Tebogo Mamorobela, implored Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba to declare Limpopo “a Gender-Based Violence disaster zone”.
At the weekend, the Public Servants Association (PSA) said it was “devastated” by the “tragic and senseless loss” of one of its dedicated members.
“This remarkable public servant championed the rights of vulnerable children, ensuring that those neglected and abandoned found justice and support,” the PSA said.
“Her colleagues described her as a beacon of hope, fighting for fairness with unwavering dedication and compassion.”
The PSA said this “painful loss” underscores the urgent need for intervention.
The union for public servants called on Minister Kubayi to hold management in the Limpopo region accountable, to address the rampant mistreatment of employees, and to ensure that harassment and bullying within the workplace do not go unchecked.
The PSA urged the minister to introduce mandatory debriefing sessions for frontline staff, ensuring that those dealing with deeply distressing public cases receive the emotional support they deserve.
“The fight against GBV cannot end with words alone,” the union said.
“It requires action, accountability, and unwavering commitment both to the victims and to those who dedicate their lives to supporting them.”
The PSA said it stands firm in its call for justice and in honouring the memory of its fallen member, vows to continue the fight against gender-based violence and workplace injustice.
Police in Limpopo have opened an inquest case.
