As the Singqoto family buried two young girls on Saturday in Peddie another family not far away was about to experience their devastating pain.
Last week DispatchLIVE reported on the horror slaying of Emihle, 15, and Anako,11, and its cryptic Facebook message clue.
On Saturday evening newly widowed Nobulumko Kondlo, 23, was taken from her home in Ndwayana village nearby and raped and strangled.
Her body was found on Sunday morning by family near an outside toilet. She was naked and her clothes were in the toilet pit.
Family member Zanemali Kondlo said they were alerted by a relative who was in the house at the time. He said a man first called out to Kondlo, and when she did not open the door he forcefully entered the house and took her outside.
“In the morning we realised the door of the toilet was not fully closed. Then we found the body.”
Zanemali said they suspected a man in the village.
“I know this man, he is part of the youth of this village. He did not have any sort of relation with Nobulumko. We are concerned about what we are going to do, as we buried Nobulumko’s husband only last month,” said Zanemali.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni confirmed that a man of 33 was arrested after being held captive and beaten by neighbours who believe he raped and killed Kondlo.
“He is expected to appear in the Peddie magistrate's court today facing a charge of murder,” said Tonjeni.
Child rights activist and Khula Community Development Projects director Petros Majola said they held an imbizo last week at the Ndwayana community hall on gender-based violence and femicide.
“We learnt with sadness and shock that this happened at this village that made an undertaking to curb the scourge of GBVF, and within two days afterwards.
“We will not lose the battle, we will continue with our programmes and strengthen working relationships with all roleplayers.”
Majola called for no bail in such cases.
No arrests have been made for the death of the Singqoto sisters, or in the case of little Lihlumo Mzini, 8, found dead last month near the Dorchester Heights informal settlement where she lived.
DispatchLIVE
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