Pretoria - Slain Eersterust Secondary school teacher Sinoxolo Gcilitshana was not just an English teacher, but an academic who had hoped to be part of transforming the country’s curriculum to speak to the African child and their realities.
“A father, friend, mentor and a passionate scholar” were just some of the words used to describe Gcilitshana following reports of his gruesome death.
According to the police, the 27-year-old teacher was found dead in his rented room in Eersterust, Pretoria, last Tuesday.
Gauteng Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said police were summoned to attend a scene of an unnatural death at Zelik Glyne Avenue in Eersterust in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
On arrival, Masondo said, police found the body of a man with visible injuries.
The motive for the killing had not been confirmed as yet, however, an investigation was under way and police were searching for the suspect or suspects, Masondo said.
According to reports, it is suspected that his death was caused by an attempted robbery at his home.
Gcilitshana will be buried on Saturday in the Eastern Cape village of Qoboqobo, a day shy of his 28th birthday.
Childhood friend Kamohelo Teele said the killing of Gcilitshana was not just a loss for his family, friends and colleagues, but also for the education sector and Africa as a whole.
Teele, who described his friend as a passionate and hard-working township teacher, said all he wanted to do was be part of shaping young black lives.
He said as far as he could remember, Gcilitshana, who holds a Bachelor of Education degree obtained from the University of the Free State as well as a Bachelor of Education Honours specialising in History Education from the University of Cape Town, always spoke of how he wanted to ensure that education for the African child spoke of African issues, and not European ones.
“I never saw him angry, he was always in a good mood, a very spirited soul, ambitious and a compelling visionary. His dream was to one day become the vice-chancellor of Wits because he wanted to transform it and see more black people in leadership.
“What is most painful about his death is that he is leaving behind a young child he loved dearly and had hoped he would one day be able to build a legacy for. He even had a tattoo on his left forearm of the child’s name.”
Since news of Gcilitshana’s death was announced, tributes and messages of support have poured in online, including from the University of the Free State and the Mandela Rhodes Scholar Foundation, of which he was part in 2019.
Judy Sikuza, CEO of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, said: “Sinoxolo, like many of our scholars, had big dreams. It is very sad that he will not be able to realise them. Sinoxolo’s family, and particularly his young daughter, are in our thoughts and we have extended our condolences.”
Also sharing her grief at the death of the teacher was UCT Town vice-chancellor and principal Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, who, posting pictures of them taken together, said the loss of the young academic was hard to accept.
She took to her Twitter page to write: “I am deeply saddened by the untimely, tragic and violent death of Sinoxolo ‒ a bright and passionate young man whose dream was to become a VC.
“Go well Sino; I was looking forward to witness you achieving your dreams, I am sorry that your life was cut short.”
Former University of the Free State vice-chancellor Professor Jonathan Jansen also took to social media to mourn, saying this death was like a candle snuffed out when it had so much light to give. Jansen had taken the young man in and paid for his studies when he picked up that he waned to be educated but had no money.
On the morning of his death, he wrote: “At about 3am on Tuesday one of South Africa’s most prodigious young talents was murdered at home, the killers leaving a gaping hole in his head. Evidence suggests the security wiring around the house was cut and that some personal items were missing. Ours is a murderous nation, but something changed deeply inside me with the tragic passing of Sinoxolo Gcilitshana; the trajectory of his short life is incredulous.”
This, and the words of others, among them Phakeng, saw a flurry of anger and grief from people who did not know Gcilitshana, all calling for swift action in finding the callous killers.
The police said they had activated their teams to look for the murderers.
Pretoria News