The family of Delisile Shozi who was found dead in a sugarcane field in Umthwalume last week, said they need urgent psychological counselling.
Shozi was found a kilometre away from her home, said her family. According to Shozi’s niece, Thobeka Ncwane, the 42-year-old went missing on Monday last week, and was found with injuries to her head, back, and chest near Msinsini on Friday.
This is not a first for Umthwalume as five women were found dead in the area’s sugarcane fields in 2020. Ncwane said her aunt is survived by three children which is why they would like the KZN Department of Social Development to provide the family with counselling.
“We are hurt and traumatised by seeing her in that state and we want the police to make sure that the person behind my aunt’s death is locked up,” said Ncwane.
The death of Shozi did not only send shockwaves in the Umthwalume area but it also brought back a number of horrific memories. Umzumbe Municipality mayor, Bongani Nyuswa told Fever that they thought perpetrators would stop gruesome acts against women after the government condemned the crime, after the cases of women who were found dead in the area in 2020.
Mduduzi “Mafutha” Khomo, who was one of two accused of the murders of five women in Umthwalume between April and August 2020, had not only confessed to the killings but also died in jail in 2020.
Nyuswa said they are currently trying to find a way to work with the police in curbing issues of gender-based violence (GBV) in the area. “We do not mean to say the issue was related to GBV but it pains us as the municipality to hear of such incidents. Condolences to the Shozi family, we will be visiting them soon to find out what really happened,” said Nyuswa.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, said no arrests have been made.
“On June 10, a body of a 42-year-old female was found in the sugarcane field with multiple stab wounds. A case of murder is investigated by Hibberdene police,” said Ngcobo.
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