Four slain Engcobo siblings laid to rest

The four Engcobo siblings, who were allegedly bludgeoned to death with a sledge hammer by their mother, have been laid to their final resting place at Tsalaba Village on Friday.

The two boys and two girls, aged between two and eleven-years-old, were found battered to death in a rondavel they slept in with their mother last week.

Eastern Cape premier, Oscar Mabuyane and various government officials joined the community members in conveying last respects and ushering the children to the cemetery.

The 32-year-old Nomboleko Simayile’s hopes of attending her children’s funeral were hindered when she fell ill on Thursday.

The murders

Mthundezi Simayile, who is Nomboleko’s father, said he found her seated outside the rondavel last week Wednesday morning, looking disorientated.

ALSO READ: Eastern Cape mother allegedly beats four kids to death with sledgehammer

Nomboleko reportedly told him that she had killed the children. Her elderly parents were sleeping in a separate house within the same homestead.

In disbelief, the father proceeded in the rondavel where he found the children’s lifeless bodies.

Nomboleko was immediately arrested and detained on murder charges.

Court appearances

She was scheduled to appear at the Ngcobo Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, but she failed to make it after she collapsed in the holding cells of the prison she is held in.

Nomboleko was supposed to apply for bail, which the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is set to oppose.

NPA spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali said the State is intending on applying for her to be assessed to determine if she is mentally fit to stand trial.

“The court postponed the matter in her absentia as she was transferred to the to hospital after she fell ill in the holding cells,” said Tyali.

The matter was postponed to 29 November 2022.

ALSO READ: Case against mother accused of murdering her kids postponed due to illness