Sebora Village in Ga-Mashashane, Limpopo, is reeling in horror and heartbreak after one of the most gruesome crimes in the province’s recent memory. Lesiba David Ledwaba, a 40-year-old man, has been arrested for the shocking murder and dismemberment of his own mother, 87-year-old Raesibe Ledwaba — a woman who raised him, fed him, and protected him for nearly half a century.
The horrific discovery was made after concerned neighbors reported Raesibe’s sudden absence. When police arrived at the family home, what they found was beyond comprehension: body parts of the elderly woman, chopped up and stuffed into plastic buckets, hidden inside the house. Next to them, items suspected to have been used in the crime.
Lesiba Ledwaba appeared in the Seshego Magistrates Court on charges of murder and desecration of a corpse. His case has left the courtroom and the community deeply shaken. The motive? According to early investigations, Ledwaba believed his own mother was a witch, claiming she had cursed his life and brought him endless misfortune. In what can only be described as a twisted and delusional state of mind, he allegedly convinced himself that taking her life — and mutilating her body — would break a supernatural spell.
Raesibe’s niece, Ramokone Mothapo, spoke out through tears: “The way he chopped my aunt into buckets is something we will never forget. She loved him — he abused her, and she still protected him. Now this?” The family is now battling with funeral arrangements while also calling for no bail and a lifetime sentence for Ledwaba, saying the crime is beyond forgiveness.
What makes this crime even more chilling is that Lesiba Ledwaba was, to the outside world, a quiet man. Residents are stunned. He was never seen as dangerous. But his past tells a darker story — one of years of abuse toward his mother. Raesibe, like many elderly women in rural areas, reportedly refused to press charges, protecting the very son who would eventually take her life.
Limpopo Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe condemned the act in the strongest terms, urging communities to report all forms of domestic violence and not wait until it’s too late. “This is not just a crime — it’s an atrocity against motherhood, humanity, and dignity,” she said.
The case has raised urgent alarms about rising violence against the elderly, mental health neglect, and the dangerous beliefs that still linger around witchcraft in many South African communities. In the name of tradition or fear, innocent women are dying, and too often, the killers are their own children.
As the court prepares for further investigation on July 9, 2025, the people of Ga-Mashashane remain in shock, mourning a mother who gave everything — even when she had nothing.
She carried him for 9 months. And he repaid her with a bucket.
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