A FIVE-year-old city girl not only witnessed the brutal murder of her mother, Mases “Sisi” Cross, but was then locked inside her home with the body.
A FIVE-year-old city girl not only witnessed the brutal murder of her mother, Mases “Sisi” Cross, but was then locked inside her home with the body.
Shocked neighbours in Club 2000 yesterday spoke of how they watched in horror on Saturday night as the child pleaded with her mother’s attacker, who is believed to have been out on parole for a rape case, to spare the woman’s life.
According to the neighbours, the suspect, who is believed to have been in a relationship with Cross, allegedly assaulted her before locking her in the house with the child while the family pleaded with him to open the door.
They also spoke of how they feared the suspect because of his “violent behaviour”, especially after he had been drinking alcohol they said.
A neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said that the altercation started at around 6pm on Saturday night.
“We heard Sisi screaming and saw her run outside. Her attacker smashed her head against the wall several times, shouting ‘go Sisi’, before she fled into the house again. It was quiet for a while and then she re-appeared at the door and ran towards the gate before she fell down. The whole time her five-year-old daughter was following them in and out of the house as he chased her,” said the neighbour.
“When Sisi fell outside, the little girl knelt next to her mother, who was not moving, and begged him to leave her mommy alone. The child asked what he had done to her, crying ‘I want her, I need her’,” the neighbour added.
“The man lifted Sisi’s head as she lay on the ground and kissed her on the lips, saying ‘I love you Sisi’, before dragging her back into the house.”
According to the neighbours, they had gotten used to the couple’s domestic fights.
“They would fight at night and were all lovey-dovey the next day. That is why we never wanted to intervene in their fights,” they said.
The neighbours added that it appeared as if the couple had split up about two months ago.
“Sisi came to fetch her belongings from his house a few weeks ago, escorted by the police.”
According to the neighbours, they believed that by the time her attacker dragged her into the house, she was already dead. “It was very quiet, and he even switched off the light.
“After a long while, he left the house and went to the tap to wash his hands and arms, before leaving the yard.”
The concerned neighbours asked him what had happened but he apparently refused them entry to the house, saying that Cross was asleep with the child.
“Someone called the family and the aunt was the first person to go into the house, where she found that Sisi was already dead. The aunt came out screaming after she found Sisi’s bloodied, naked body on the bed,” said a traumatised neighbour.
“Every time I close my eyes I can hear that little girl’s pleading voice. I wonder how that man feels after committing such a monstrous act. He should have stayed in jail when he was arrested for rape. This is how our justice system exposes us, by letting such creatures back onto the streets,” she sobbed.
She added that the police were called, while the suspect just sat inside the yard with his hands on his head, before being arrested.
