Government has said investigations into the death of 13-year-old Retshephile “Tshepi” Setso Tshedu have been completed and the case has now been handed to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), with a legal determination expected by May 15.
Responding Thursday to the “Justice for Tshepi” petition delivered earlier this month, Minister for State President, Defence and Security Moeti Mohwasa sought to answer growing public concern over the pace of the investigation, framing the nearly 10-month process as one of legal rigour rather than delay.
“The ten months you have questioned are not evidence of neglect, but evidence of rigour,” Mohwasa said, defending the handling of a case that has sparked sustained public pressure and demands for accountability.
The petition, received by Acting President Ndaba Gaolathe on April 9 after a peaceful march by concerned citizens, had given government two weeks to respond. Thursday’s address was presented as that formal response.
Mohwasa confirmed investigators concluded Tshepi died by suicide, based on police findings and a post-mortem examination, but said inquiries also examined whether abuse or criminal conduct may have contributed to her death. That aspect of the case, he said, is now before the DPP for review.
“The investigation extended beyond the immediate cause of death,” he said. “It comprehensively examined all surrounding circumstances.”
“We are establishing, through this case, a standard of response that will govern all future cases,” Mohwasa said. “No child will be met with indifference. No family will be left without answers.”
In a direct appeal to petitioners, many of them young people who have rallied under the Justice for Tshepi banner, Mohwasa acknowledged public frustration while urging patience as prosecutors assess evidential sufficiency and possible criminal liability.
He also revealed that the DPP has resolved that abuse cases involving minors should not be subject to reconciliation provisions under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, signalling a tougher prosecutorial stance on child abuse offences.
Beyond the specifics of the case, government used the response to announce a raft of reforms it said were being accelerated in the wake of the tragedy, including revised investigative protocols for cases involving minors, stronger conflict-of-interest safeguards, expanded reporting mechanisms for abuse, and a multisectoral gender-based violence prevention and response framework.
Mohwasa also pointed to progress on an Independent Police Complaints Commission, promised in the UDC’s 2024 manifesto, saying the body was at an advanced drafting stage.
The response appeared aimed at doing more than answer a petition. It sought to reassure a public increasingly sceptical of institutions handling violence against children, while positioning Tshepi’s case as a catalyst for wider reform.
“We are establishing, through this case, a standard of response that will govern all future cases,” Mohwasa said. “No child will be met with indifference. No family will be left without answers.”
The case has become a flashpoint in national debate over child protection, accountability and the handling of gender-based violence, with petitioners arguing Tshepi’s death exposed deeper institutional failures.
Mohwasa, however, insisted government had heard those concerns.
“Your demands for justice are legitimate,” he said. “And your call for accountability will be met with action.”
