Michael Nkalane and Siyavuya Mzantsi
ANELISA DALUZE would have returned to Rhodes University to finish her degree in drama, but she went missing at the end of January – and yesterday her body was found buried inside a half-built house in Makhaza.
Her mother, Vathiswa Daluze, had pinned her hopes on Anelisa succeeding in her career so she could help take her out of a life of poverty.
Anelisa, 21, was last seen at Pat’s Tavern in Town Two with friends, celebrating her 21st birthday. She was reported missing on February 2.
A 23-year-old man, known to the family, was arrested yesterday and is expected to appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court today.
Pleas to bring her home safely included a Facebook page, #HelpFindAnelisa, pamphlets, marches to the Khayelitsha police station and frantic searches by the community of Nkanini, where she lived.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said yesterday forensics and forensic pathology services had examined the body and informed the family.
In April, almost three months after her disappearance, a group of women from Makhaza and Nkanini marched to the Site B police station in protest against what they described as police inefficiency in investigating her disappearance. Members of the women’s and children’s rights organisation Ilitha Labantu led the marches.
At the time Vathiswa said the police had failed to follow up leads on who Anelisa had last been seen with. Khayelitsha police station commander Mkhuseli Nkwitshi promised the Nkanini informal settlement residents on April 13 that all leads would be followed up.
Yesterday, Vathiswa, 43, said it was sad that she would be burying her child, who had been readmitted to Rhodes University to finish her drama course after dropping out in 2015 because of financial constraints.
“The family will find closure now that she will be buried. But sadly I was looking forward to see my child graduating with a degree in drama.
“I was looking forward to seeing her succeed in life. I was pinning my hopes on her to take me out of shacks and buy a house in the suburbs.”
Vathiswa said her daughter’s body was found buried in an RDP house, which was under construction, in Makhaza’s 39 section yesterday.
She said what happened to Anelisa should be a lesson to other parents and children not to trust anyone. “My child was left by her friends with someone she knew. They (friends) entrusted her with him but look she is dead today.”
Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said they would meet the Khayelitsha police today to find out what happened.
“It’s good that the family will bury their loved one and find closure. But to prevent similar issues from happening, we need to get to the bottom of this matter. That will help us to make the community aware of how they happen in order to know how to stop them.”
Khayelitsha cluster commander Johan Brand has appealed to residents to take a stand against violent crimes against women and children in the area.
“We cannot have a situation where two young women (Daluze and Sinoxolo Mafevuka) are murdered in the space of less than two months. We have a lot of statements from the community.
“It was a community member who came forward with the information that the suspect had revealed the location of the deceased and we followed up. I would also like to commend the investigating team that worked on this case.”
Meanwhile, the bail hearing of two men charged with the rape and murder of 19-year-old Mafevuka continues at the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court today. Mafevuka’s half-naked body was found in a communal toilet at SST block.