Sick, undocumented foreign national fears arrest and dies

A sick, undocumented foreign national, unable to seek medical assistance at the local clinic for fear of arrest, tragically passed away from his illness. Mr Jutasse Wildon Boene, originally from Mozambique but residing at Hamagidi Unit E in Thohoyandou, was a well-known figure in the area, earning a living as a trolley pusher transporting goods for shoppers. His touting spots included the Choice Supermarket and the Fruit and Veg next to Tops in Thohoyandou.

Last week, Mr Boene fell ill, but because of his expired passport, he refrained from seeking medical care for fear of being apprehended. Regrettably, on Sunday, 24 March, at approximately 17:00, he was discovered deceased after succumbing to his illness. As he was living alone with no known next of kin, the community is trying to locate his family.

A local resident, Ms Mpho Ramurunzi, recounted the chance discovery of Mr Boene’s passing. “On Sunday, my husband, who used to work with him in Thohoyandou, expressed a desire to see him as it had been a long time since their last meeting. Upon arriving at his home, we were greeted by a horrible smell. Upon entry, we discovered a dish of water, indicating that he had bathed before passing away. We immediately contacted the local Ward 21 councillor, Thifhelimbilu Liphadzi, who promptly summoned the police and forensic pathologists,” she stated.

Ward 21 councillor, Thifhelimbilu Liphadzi, who promptly summoned the police and forensic pathologists. Photo supplied.

Ramurunzi mentioned that they had found an expired passport and a notebook containing some contacts. “He lived alone, and despite our efforts, we have been unable to locate his family. We tried calling the number in the notebook, but it went unanswered. We urge anyone with information about his relatives to please inform them of this sad news,” she added.

Anyone with information about Mr Boene’s family or relatives is urged to visit the local Thohoyandou Police Station or contact Councillor Thifhelimbilu Liphadzi at 082 267 7116 or the investigating officer, Sergeant Makhuvha, at 082 469 1397.

Date:29 March 2024

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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