Community demands justice after young Durban mother found murdered
Young Durban mother Nondumiso Dlamini, 23, was found murdered after she went missing in Durban a week ago.
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The family of 23-year-old Nondumiso Dlamini is reeling after her mutilated body was discovered in a bush near the M7 in Bellair, Durban, following her disappearance more than a week ago.
Dlamini went missing last Friday after leaving with a man from her community who had allegedly promised her a job opportunity. Her sister, Phumzile Ndlovu, said the family never suspected foul play and did not report her missing.
“We didn’t think anything was wrong because he is a common face in the community.
“But when days went by and we couldn’t reach her on the phone, her friend raised the alarm and mentioned who was last seen with her. The community members then went to find the suspect,” Ndovu said.
According to Ndlovu the police questioned the suspect after he allegedly gave conflicting accounts of Dlamini’s whereabouts.
He eventually led officers to a bushy area along the M7, where her body was found on Saturday. Parts of her body, including toes and fingers, had been removed.
The gruesome discovery has raised suspicions that this killing may not be an isolated incident.
“We believe there could be more victims in that bush. The police must search thoroughly,” she said.
Dlamini, who was described by her family as “a good person,” leaves behind a seven-year-old son. She had been renting a place with a friend while supporting her child. Her grieving parents are struggling to raise funds for her funeral after her mother recently lost her job.
“We don’t even know how we are going to bury her,” Ndlovu said. “She had no funeral cover.”
The murder has sparked outrage in the community. On Sunday, residents staged a picket outside the Bellair police station, demanding justice and calling on police to conduct a wider search of the bushland.
Community member Menzi Cele said residents were devastated and angry. “We cannot allow women to disappear and die like this. We want answers from this suspect, and we want the police to search that field properly. There could be more bodies there,” he said.
KwaZulu-Natal police had not responded to questions sent on Sunday by the time of publication.