Family of slain PnP cashier demands to see footage of stabbing attack

The family of slain Sinenhlanhla Mathonsi is demanding to see surveillance footage from Pick n Pay in Protea Glen Mall, Soweto, where their daughter was stabbed to death by her boyfriend.

The 22-year-old was killed while on duty on Sunday evening after being repeatedly stabbed.

“How did this man stab our daughter multiple times?” asked Mathonsi’s guardian, Lungile Dlamini. “What was security or anyone at the store doing? Wasn’t her first scream enough call for help for someone to intervene? It means there is a gap in safety and security there because this is a place we thought she was safe. .

“We don’t know who to blame or ask for answers. We are still waiting to be shown footage of what happened,” she said.

Johannesburg police spokesperson Lt-Col Mpho Tshetlhane said a 26-year-old man was arrested and will appear in the Protea magistrate’s court soon.

“The suspect allegedly arrived at Pick n Pay supermarket on May 4 at about 8.50pm and stabbed the victim who was on duty. She sustained several stab wounds in the upper body.

“The police were alerted about the incident, and they swiftly reacted to the scene. The victim was certified dead at the scene, and the suspect was arrested. The motive behind the incident is not yet known. Police investigations are continuing,” Tshetlhane said.. 

Dlamini said they had never heard of any problems between Mathonsi and her partner or threats on her life.

“She was a very secretive and quiet child. We didn’t know of the relationship. We knew her to be a bright child who had a good future ahead of her. She would have been 23 this month. She was even planning to go to university after her younger siblings in grades 9 and 11 finish school.”

Dlamini said Mathonsi had been employed as a cashier for five months.

Pick n Pay said they would assist the police in any way necessary.

“Thankfully, no other staff member or customer was hurt, and we are offering counselling to all staff members for this tragic incident that should never happen anywhere in SA,” it said. “We send our condolences to the staff member’s family.”

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