Kimberly - The eldest brother of the six-year-old Northern Cape boy, Kutlwano Garesape, who was brutally killed while trying to defend his mother from an attacker last year, said on Monday that his dream of studying Civil Engineering had been hampered by his fear that he would not pass his matric year.
Karabo Garesape, who attended Walter Letsie High School in Manthe in Taung, was part of the Class of 2016 who received their matric examination results last week.
Karabo’s youngest brother, Kutlwano, was brutally killed in August last year by a man who accosted him while he was walking the deceased and his older brother, Thabiso, to school.
Kutlwano Garesape, 6, died a hero after he tried to defend his mother who was being attacked by a man who wanted to rape her.
Karabo said that he did not apply to any institution of higher learning as he believed that his matric results would be unsatisfactory following a very difficult time for him and his family.
“There was a lot of strain on me during my last year of high school. The death of Kutlwano was heartbreaking for us as a family and affected me tremendously. As his eldest brother, I missed his presence in the house as he was such an energetic person. Having to complete my matric and write examinations during the time when my parents were mourning the death of their youngest child was a very difficult and unpleasant experience,” he said.
Karabo said that the family was still struggling to come to terms with the death of Kutlwano.
“His presence has left a huge void at home and in our hearts. I visit his grave often and talk to him when I am at the cemetery. We think about him every day and we still cannot believe that he was killed in such a gruesome manner.”
Karabo, who passed matric with an admission to study towards a Bachelor’s degree, said that his alternative future plan was to complete paramedic training should he be selected.
“I chose to do maths and physics during my matric year as I was planning on pursuing a career in Civil Engineering. I have, however, now opted to apply as a paramedic trainee. I saw an advertisement at the Department of Health seeking matriculants to train as paramedics. I am going to apply and see what chances I stand of being selected.”
He added that the training programme would also take the financial strain off his parents.
“The duration of the training is 18 months. There are no fees attached to the training programme and one is guaranteed employment afterwards. This is a wonderful opportunity as both my parents are currently unemployed and I will be able to contribute to the household once I have completed the training and start to work.”
Karabo’s father, Frank Jacobs, said that they were very proud of their son for overcoming the difficulties that the family faced.
“We are very happy that he passed his final year. This has been a very difficult year and we would not have put pressure on him if he had not made it. We are elated that he managed to push through despite the circumstances. Our children and the family are all very close to each other and we have witnessed how the death of Kutlwano has affected our two other children,” said Jacobs.
He added that he wanted his son to “follow his dreams”.
“We have told him that he must not worry about us and that he must pursue whatever career he has a passion for. He must do something he wants to do and not because he feels obliged to make a contribution. Our wish for both our children is to lead happy and fulfilling lives,” Jacobs said.