Durban - History has repeated itself for a family in Manguzi, northern KwaZulu-Natal, when tragedy struck once again.
The body of Sizwe Mlambo, 12, was found stuffed inside a plastic bag last weekend. He was last seen going to school on Wednesday last week.
Sizwe’s brother, Bonginkosi Mlambo, told the Sunday Tribune that 14 years ago their father left home to go to work, and was later found dead in the bushes. No arrest was made.
“This is a very difficult time for us. We live in fear because it seems we are being targeted.
“Now my younger brother has been killed in a similar way. I believe it when they say history repeats itself,” he said.
Sizwe was a pupil at Libuyile Primary school, a few kilometres away from his home. He often walked to school with other children from the village, but sometimes walked alone.
“It shocked us that he did not even make it to school. My mother went to report him missing at the police station, but was told to wait for 24 hours. We continued with our own search but we did not find him,” said Mlambo.
Days passed without any sign of Sizwe, but the family still hoped to find him alive.
But their hopes were dashed when police informed them that a body of a child had been found by a passer-by along the gravel road.
“The guy saw a plastic bag with flies. When he opened the plastic, he saw a decomposed body,” he said.
“He was an innocent boy who did not have enemies. I don’t understand what kind of a person does such a cruel thing.
“I can picture my brother crying helplessly, but his pleas would have fallen on deaf ears.
“He did not deserve to die like this, he was a child who respected elders.
“We are now convinced there is a killer targeting our family,” said Mlambo.
A case of murder is being investigated by the police.
Sunday Tribune