Manotsi Lemao died on Thursday, August 9, the day she was celebrating her 42nd birthday.

She had reportedly been brutally beaten by her boyfriend last Monday but she told no one about it. Manotsi’s cousin Mateboho Selokoma, 41, said she discovered the truth after her husband went to collect some money from Manotsi only to find her badly injured.

Mateboho said: “He found the boyfriend. He told him that he and Manotsi had a fight earlier and she was sleeping.

“I then went to check on her and I found her brutally beaten. She had a blue eye and her body was swollen. She could not walk on her own. She said her boyfriend had beaten her up. I took her to the doctor. X-rays revealed that she had a broken leg.”

Seeing Manotsi’s condition, Mateboho insisted that she spent a few days with her and her family, which she did. Sadly, she died on Thursday after eating her birthday cake.

“Before she died, she complained that her foot was itchy,” said Mateboho. “She said her heart was beating too slow, and she fell on my son’s bed and died. Had this man not beaten her, she would still be alive. I wish the law would take its course.”

Police spokeswoman Sergeant Ikobeng Hlubi confirmed the incident, saying: “An inquest case has been registered.

“According to records, Manotsi was allegedly assaulted by her boyfriend and later discharged from hospital. She died at her cousin’s home and the police are waiting for the post-mortem results to determine the cause of death. Depending on the results, the charge may possibly be changed to murder.”