The arrest of a 16-year-old boy allegedly linked to the death of Sinethemba Ngcece Sibiya (8), whose decomposing body was found near a river in September 2023 in Mtwalume, was a shock for residents.
The dead girl’s grandmother, Biziwe Ngcece, said after her granddaughter went missing and they could not find her, the 16-year-old who was recently arrested came with three other people claiming to have found a child in bushes.
The teenager was nabbed last week after allegedly attacking a six-year-old girl who was walking home from school.
He appeared in the Umzumbe Magistrate’s Court on Monday this week on charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, sexual assault and murder.
He was remanded in custody until July 29.
Meanwhile, Nombuso Sibisi of the non-profit Women of Mtwalume said they are happy that someone has been arrested.
“No one expected that Sinethemba’s killer could be a 16-year-old,” she said.
The KZN Department of Social Development MEC, Mbali Shinga, was concerned that the attack on the little girl happened shortly after Child Protection Month.
Shinga said it was troubling that both the victim and the perpetrator in the case are minors, as defined by the Children’s Act, which considers anyone under the age of 18 a minor.
“To us, the protection of children is a year-round commitment, not just for a month. We condemn gender-based violence against our children and women with the same severity as we address all forms of child abuse. With both the perpetrator and the victim being minors, we have a responsibility to provide support to the affected families,” she said.
She added that the accused is also allegedly linked to Sinethemba Ngcece Sibiya’s murder.
Women’s rights organisations, residents, and community policing forums protested outside the court.
The MEC said it was encouraging to see the community out in numbers to support the victims’ families.
She added that it was also important to allow court proceedings to go on without any interruptions from residents.
“We urge our communities to be more vigilant and ensure children’s rights are protected. Counselling will be ongoing, with ChildLine also closely monitoring the child to ensure recovery from trauma. Family members will be empowered with coping skills to understand the child’s behaviour. The department will also address the needs of the offender as per the provisions of the Child Justice Act and provide support to their family,” she said.
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