The family of a Nyandezulu mother of three who was killed, allegedly by her ex-lover (37) just four days before Women’s Day, believes the man did not want to accept that their relationship had ended.
Babongile Nzama (38) was raped, bludgeoned on the head with a hammer and stabbed in the torso 21 times last week.
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The suspect has a previous conviction for rape and murder, and was released from prison just last year.
Family members told the Herald that they now feared for their lives as the suspect had previously often visited their home, demanding to know where
Ms Nzama was.
Ms Nzama had ended the relationship with the man, citing abuse, and had planned to move to Johannesburg at the end of August to hide from him.
“She was very scared of him and when she finally got the courage to leave, it did not sit well with him.”
The man had allegedly threatened her which led to Ms Nzama deciding to cut all ties with him.
She blocked his calls, and smses, and on social media.
“When he realised he could not get hold of her, he asked his relatives to contact her,” said the distraught family member.
The family then received a WhatsApp message from Ms Nzama, who had already fled her home for safety reasons, saying she was coming back because she had received numerous phone calls from the man’s family asking for a meeting to discuss the relationship.
On the day she was killed, she had taken her eight year old daughter to the clinic.
It is believed the man had stalked her and waited for her to leave the clinic, upon which he reportedly forced her to his home.
He later phoned his sister and confessed to what he had done.
His sister recorded the call and played the recording to police.
“When we arrived with the police he at first denied seeing her, and then later said she had left.
“However, when his father forced him to open the
door to his room, Babongile’s body was found, her face covered with a dishcloth,” said the relative.
The family said they would never forget what they saw.
“I almost fainted when I saw the number of knives covered in blood at the crime scene and what he had done to Babongile.”
The Nzama family has appealed to women to rally behind them when the suspect appears in court on August 16.
“Babongile was killed in Women’s Month while we are urging men to stop violence against women. Her killer clearly has no regard for the law and we need women to stand with us and say enough is enough.”
Port Shepstone police spokesman Captain Petros Mpinge confirmed that a 37 year old suspect was arrested on August 5 and appeared in the Ezinqoleni Magistrate’s Court on August 7.
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