February, 2008
Twenty-one year old Neo Mathye, daughter of Inspector Victor Mathye who is one of the four policemen who lost their lives at the 'Jeppestown Massacre' in 2006, today (February 4, 2008) announced that she has largely forgiven the men accused of killing her father.
She was speaking at Tracker's head office in Johannesburg where she received formal notification of a special tertiary bursary Tracker sponsors for children of South African policemen and women who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
'I have no anger left. I don't hate these men and over the past few months I have made my peace with what happened. In a way, I suppose, I've forgiven them. Nothing can bring back my father now and I would much rather focus on the future and what good I can do in South Africa. Hate is a horrible thing. It eats away at you and ultimately leaves you empty, like a hollow shell,' says Neo Mathye.
Following her father's death, which followed her mother's passing only two years before, Neo has had much to contend with, not the least of which was caring for her 16-year old brother.
'Neo is a remarkable person. She has had to suffer through first the tragic loss of her mother and then her father in almost the most violent manner imaginable. It's hard to believe that as a then 19-year old, this young girl has managed to keep her brother safe and in school while balancing her own studies, trying to wrap up both her parent's estates and juggle a part-time job," says Tracker's Communications Manager, Gareth Crocker. 'Not to mention the emotional burden of having to cope with both their deaths.'
Despite her ordeal, Neo managed to not only pass Matric, but to do so with several distinctions. In the year of her father's death, she still managed an average of 86% for her IT course she was studying at a college on the West Rand, but unfortunately had to withdraw from the course as funds soon dried up. She then heard about the Tracker Bursary Fund from Superintendent Milica Bezuidenhout at the Kagiso Police Station and decided to try her luck.
Tracker have now granted her a full bursary to study a highly-rated, global Systems Engineering qualification.
'We are certainly very proud to be able to help Neo work towards her dream by providing her with a full bursary for her studies. She is one of 26 students we are currently sponsoring (more than double of last year) throughout the country studying a wide range of professions from Medicine and Psychiatry to Accounting and Tourism. We are very happy that we are able to provide these students with a positive future and, in a way, offer a permanent legacy in honour of their parents who paid the ultimate price in defending our country,' says Koos Radebe, Patron of Tracker's Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme.
Proud of my father
'I'm very proud of my father. When I eventually
visited the crime scene, I was shown a basic idea
of how the shooting seemed to happen and it became
clear to me that, considering where my father was
when the first shots were fired, he had an opportunity
to run. It looks like he might've had an escape
route. But he stayed when I don't think anyone would've
blamed him if he had tried to get out. I miss him
very much,' said Neo.
For more information, please contact Gareth Crocker,
Communications Manager for Tracker on gcrocker@tracker.co.za,
(011) 380 0300 or 082 78 78 757.