Residents in the Laudium and Itireleng informal settlement learnt with shock that a pensioner known in the area, was found hanging from a tree on the side of the Millitary Road, near Itireleng and not far from the intersection of Delhi Ave leading into Laudium Ext 3.
It is believed that 65 year old Edward Mogoro committed suicide after being in debt, with passers-by horrified after discovering his body hanging on a tree last Wednesday afternoon. The area where the body was found is used each day by many pedestrians from the Itireleng informal settlement who work in Laudium. Mokgadi Maloba (50) from Itireleng told the Laudium Sun, “I was coming from Laudium during the day at about 3 o`clock in the afternoon and I saw many people gathering on the side of Military Road. I went there and that is when I was shocked to see the body of a black male hanging on a tree. I went closer to the body to see if I could recognise the person and that is when I was even more shocked after learning that the body was that of Edward. I knew him and he was always friendly but did not speak much or bother about other people.
He was living in the new stands area of Itireleng and was living alone. As far as I knew he had no wife or children. I don’t know why this man took his own life. When I asked other people living near him more about him, they told me that he had a lot of problems, but that they did not know why he committed suicide. It is so heartsore to learn that a man committed suicide in this open busy area and yet no one saw him or could stop him. We ask ourselves why none of the residents saw him because Military Road is such a busy area. If only someone saw him before, he could have been saved and alive today. I can only assume he committed suicide when no one was around. I am urging the residents of Itireleng and Laudium to seek help or talk to someone if they have a problem, as suicide is not the solution” Mokgadi said.
A hawker selling fruit and sweets next to where the body of Edward was found, Shakira Cassim (38) told the Laudium Sun, “I was not there at my spot when the body of a man was found by the tree. I only learnt about the incident later on. This hanging shocked everyone. The tree was not so big and could be easily seen from the busy road that we all use to get into Itireleng. Maybe this man was possessed by evil spirits when he committed suicide. We hope God would forgive him.”
Maria Lefika (34), another Itireleng resident working at a nearby shop, not far from where the suicide took place, said, “I heard from other residents that this man who was found hanging on a tree was owing a lot of people money and one of these loan sharks had taken his SASSA card to withdraw cash and another loan shark wanted to take his shack because of the debt. This is so sad. The man had no family living with him.” A police officer at the Laudium Police Station who did not want to be named
confirmed to the Laudium Sun that an inquest docket had been opened and is being investigated.
