She was murdered in the same area and in the same year as Siphokazi Booi. And like Siphokazi, the accused in her murder is her boyfriend. Action Society has stepped in to assist the family of Alwaba Sondara’s family after they begged for a #SayHerName campaign for their daughter at a recent court appearance of the Siphokazi Booi case.
“When you Google “Alwaba Sondara murder” you will find one article reporting her death. Since then, no one has reported about her case again, because with ongoing court postponements, there is neither justice for Alwaba nor closure for her family, who couldn’t even be with her in her final moments because of Covid-19 restrictions.” says Action Society’s Kaylynn Palm.
Alwaba was brutally beaten by her boyfriend of nine months, Asive Kulwane (28 at the time) on 18 December 2021. The accused took her to the Khayelitsha hospital more than an hour away and then fled the Paarl area, instead of taking her to the Paarl hospital. Later, she was transferred to Tygerberg Hospital where she remained in a coma until she died on 12 January 2022. Kulwane appeared in court on 15 January 2022, but since then, the case has been postponed time and again. According to Palm, the family was attending a court appearance on 27 June 2023 when the case was postponed yet again to 12 September 2023. “That is when the family, in desperation, turned to us for assistance. “With the mandate we received from the family, we will continue with them on a pursuit for justice. We will do everything we can to ensure that the prosecution honours Alwaba’s memory. We will #SayHerName.”
A history of abuse
Looking into Alwaba’s relationship with Kulwana, it becomes very clear that he is a dangerous and violent man with very little regard for human life. He has a history of violence and abuse, having previously been arrested and charged with assault, and these are only the reported cases.
The family became aware that Kulwana was abusing Alwaba around June/July of 2021. Alwaba’s father, Mongezi Sondara confronted him after Alwaba had to be treated at Tygerberg Hospital on more than one occasion. The family decided that enough was enough and went to the court and applied for an interdict to protect their daughter but to no avail. It did nothing to deter Kulwana, in fact Alwaba was killed shortly after.
“Police officers need to step up. We need a zero tolerance approach for domestic violence. Victims shouldn’t be referred to get protection orders on their own. The police should open a case and investigate. By failing to actively stand in for these women, you are escalating the violence they will inevitably face for standing up for themselves.”
