The women of Mthwalume want Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele to come back to the area and address residents regarding the ongoing killings of women in the area.
Mthwalume activist, Hlengiwe Gambushe, said this after a body of a woman was found wrapped in a sheet with blood stains on Monday near the R102 in Mthwalume.
Gambushe said the police minister who visited the area in 2020 following a series of femicide cases had promised them extra police boots on the ground to ensure that these crimes do not take place.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala, said a case of murder is being investigated by Hibberdene SAPS.
Gwala said it is alleged that on October 10 at noon, the decomposed body of a woman believed to be in her 40s was found by workers who were busy digging next to the road on the R102 in Mthwalume.
“The body was wrapped in a sheet with blood stains and had no visible injuries. The motive for the killing is unknown at this stage,” said Gwala, adding that they are appealing to anyone who might have information about the suspects involved to contact the local police or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
However, Gambushe said this is not the only concerning case.
Two weeks ago, an activist in Mthwalume and Inkatha Freedom Party member, Thembelihle Qalani, was shot dead by unknown suspects.
She added that they no longer feel safe as women in Mthwalume, saying that the area now feels like a dumping site for dead bodies
“We want Minister Cele to come back again and explain where is the increased police visibility he spoke about on his last visit in the area. We lack police here. We also want the police minister to update us on the progress of the cases that relate to the murders of women in Mthwalume. We are going to mobilise people, Hibberdene police station and the Human Rights Council on this matter because we honestly cannot carry on living like this,” said Gambushe.
Meanwhile, Nombuso Sibisi of Women of Mthwalume said the preparators behind these killings are now getting out of hand.
Sibisi said she feels as if people from other areas kill and dump bodies in Mthwalume.
“We have been asking around, no resident is missing a family member, the police have also not revealed the deceased’s identity, so that’s is why we feel that they are people from other areas who are doing this and it is actually ruining the image of Mthwalume,” she said.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Fever’s Facebook page
