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Comedian Livhuwani Madadzhe, who is popularly known as SABC Livhu, went to his wife Lindelani Nengovhela’s family to inform them of her passing hours before he was arrested for her murder.
Nengovhela’s body was found inside a shallow hole next to a pit toilet at their home in Mangodi Ha Sidou village in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, on Saturday morning. The day before she had withdrawn a domestic violence case against Madadzhe.
Nengovhela’s brother, Collins, on Thursday spoke about his sister’s passing, which has shocked fans of the couple. He said the mother of two will be buried at the sports ground next to Muarangoni Clinic, Vondo La Thavha village on Saturday.
Collins said:
In 2021 she took to her social media to reveal that she has been physically, emotionally and verbally abused by the comedian. Last year Nengovhela opened a case of assault against him.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the comedian appeared in court last Friday on the domestic violence charge, during which Nengovhela asked that the charges be withdrawn after she opted for mediation.
NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said Nengovhela was later found dead in a hole that had been dug up next to the pit toilet.
“On Friday last week, the suspect and the deceased appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court for a domestic violence case. The deceased approached the prosecution, and the case was disposed of through a mediation process. The following day, the lifeless body of the deceased was discovered," Malabi-Dzhangi said.
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Collins said his sister informed the family many times about the abuse that she was suffering at the hands of the comedian but was not able to leave him.
“She spoke out so many times, many times even on social platforms, but she had a soft spot for this bast*rd, little did she know that he was planning her death,” he said.
Collins said the family was deeply saddened by her passing but have accepted the loss. "My sister was last seen and celebrated on a joyous encounter with her elder sister Mrs Solani Sylvia Nengovhela whom she arranged a surprise party for at her house. Until she left for her house around 6pm where she then joined her husband,” he said.
Madadzhe is currently in police custody awaiting a court appearance for her murder.
He added that:
A memorial service will be held for Nengovhela on Friday.
The Limpopo Arts Movement, which has been supporting the family since the news of her murder broke, has called on artists in the province to show up in their numbers to support the Nengovhela family during this difficult time.
“As an organisation that represents all art practitioners in Limpopo, we are very disturbed by the passing of Lindelani Nengovhela. We fight violence against women and girls, and we want justice for Lindelani... We give our full support to the family,” the movement's spokesperson Ndivhuho Luvhengo said.
Madadzhe is best known for his stand-up comedy and sketches which have seen him amass a large following on social media.
He appeared in court on Monday where the case was postponed to February 23 for further investigation.
