Lerato and Esihle rush into the police station, out of breath. When they enter, there are people queuing to get their documents. Esihle pushes past the group of people and there is an uproar.

POLICE OFFICER: What do you think you’re doing? Can’t you see that there is a queue?

ESIHLE: I need the police to stop the people in my community from killing my brother.

POLICE OFFICER: (unbothered) We don’t have enough officers — the handle-a-mob officers are out on patrol.

ESIHLE: (outraged) We need help! Your job is literally to help keep the community safe! A member of this community is going to be hurt!

POLICE OFFICER: It sounds like you want us to stop a criminal from getting hurt.

ESIHLE: (yelling) They’ve taken him to the taxi rank and those taxi drivers have no mercy! My brother is about to be beaten for a crime he didn’t commit! If he dies, it will be on your hands! HELP ME!!

POLICE OFFICER: (panicked) OK, let me contact a patrol car and see if there aren’t any officers nearby to help.

The officer frantically radios other police officers and manages to get two patrol units to meet them at them at the taxi rank.

ESIHLE: (weeping) Thank you!

POLICE OFFICER: Come on, let’s go, I’ll drive you to the taxi rank.

They all race out of the police station.

***

When they arrive, the other police cars are parked around a large crowd, trying to manage them. Esihle jumps out of the car and rushes past the police and through the crowd. Before she is past everyone, Bab’ Jacob grabs Esihle and stops her.

ESIHLE: Let me go, I need to stop them.

BAB’ JACOB: My child, you shouldn’t go any further. It’s too late.

ESIHLE: What do you mean? What happened?

Bab’ Jacob can’t meet her eyes and her breath catches in her throat. She breaks loose from his grip and bolts through the rest of the crowd. She spots the men who had been holding her brother earlier.

ESIHLE: What have you done with my brother? Where is he?

The men don’t say anything. They step aside and reveal Sibusiso lying on the floor motionless. Esihle rushes to his side and kneels beside him. She shakes him and his eyes flutter open slightly. He is covered in blood and wounds from being whipped.

ESIHLE: Sibu, please, don’t do this, hold on, an ambulance is coming! You’re going to be alright. Just hold on!

Sibu coughs painfully.

SIBUSISO: It’s OK, I don’t feel the pain any more…

He takes a slow deep breath and then his eyes close and he isn’t breathing. Lerato rushes over and weeps next to them.

ESIHLE: NO!! This isn’t happening!

Esihle springs into action and begins performing CPR. She is relentless.

LERATO: Esihle, stop, he’s gone!

ESIHLE: (wailing) No, he can’t be gone, I still need him! He needs me! What will I be without him? He’s a part of me, how can I let a part of me die?

Esihle takes Sibusiso in her arms and screams as tears stream down her face. Lerato lays her head on Sibusiso’s chest and weeps inconsolably.  

Tell us: Have you ever lost someone you loved? How did you cope with it?