BY LERATO PHOSISI
What was meant to be a week of mourning turned into a scene of tears, shock and uncontrollable joy when a young woman who had been mistakenly identified as a murder victim walked back into her family home – alive.
Tebello Monamodi, 24, returned to her home in Mokhele Street, Vosloorus, on Saturday, 19 September, oblivious to the fact that for days, her family, friends and community believed she had been brutally murdered in Villa Liza.
Her sudden appearance sparked an emotional reunion. Neighbours stood frozen in disbelief, family members broke down in tears, and friends who had posted tributes to her on WhatsApp could not believe she was standing in front of them.
The confusion began on 17 September, when the body of an unidentified woman was discovered in a veld in Villa Liza. The deceased, who also had blonde hair and a similar physique to Tebello, was erroneously linked to her.
Word spread rapidly that Tebello had been killed. “I was in Holomisa near Dawn Park, visiting my aunt. I heard from people around me that information was circulating that I was killed,” Tebello said.
“I was shocked to hear that my family went to the government mortuary to identify my body, while I was alive.”
According to Tebello, the resemblance between her and the deceased was uncanny a fact that deepened the confusion when a friend from Villa Liza saw the body.
“One of my friends may have thought it was me because the woman had blonde hair and a body structure similar to mine,” she explained.
For her family, the past few days have been an emotional rollercoaster. Her aunt, Sabi Monamodi, said the family was plunged into darkness, not knowing whether Tebello was dead or alive.” We were confused and unsure about the whole situation. We were looking for answers,” Sabi said.
The family went to Dawn Park Police Station on the day the body was found, trying to piece together the puzzle, only to be told that a family member of the deceased had already identified the body. “We were shocked, because not one of our family members had informed us,” she said.
The following day, 18 September, the family went to the government mortuary.
“The physique of the person we saw at the mortuary resembled Tebello, but we were still not one hundred percent sure it was her. We remained in the dark,” Sabi added.
That darkness lifted on Saturday when Tebello walked through the door. “I want to reassure everyone who knows me that I am alive. I heard that some people even posted my pictures on their WhatsApp statuses, wishing me to rest in peace. Guys, I’m still alive,” Tebello said with a smile, still in disbelief.
Police have not yet released the official identity of the woman found in Villa Liza, who is also believed to be from Vosloorus. It is hoped that her family will now be able to properly identify her and find closure.
For the Monamodi family, what started as a tragedy has become a miracle –their daughter has returned home.
