Durban - Black crosses, candle wax and cuts covered in clear sticky tape were discovered on the body of a murdered uMlazi man.
A 61-year-old woman and her two teenage children have been arrested for the murder of Funokwakhe Cele, 28.
They are expected to make a bail application in the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court.
Cele’s body was found on the doorstep of the woman’s kitchen. According to neighbours who saw Cele’s body, his shirt had been unbuttoned and there was candle wax on parts of his body. They said black crosses had been drawn on both his temples.
He also had cuts on his arms and stomach and these were covered with clear sticky tape, they said. The neighbours, who did not want to be named, had identified Cele’s body and led police to his home.
Cele’s aunt, Babhekile Cele, said he had been drinking in uMlazi’s D section with friends on Wednesday evening.
“I’m not sure about the time but his friends walked him home. They walked him up to the door but instead of going in he decided to accompany his friends to the main road,” she said.
His body was later found in P Section. She said they believed Cele was killed while taking a short cut past the suspects’ house, which is also in P Section.
She believed he had been mistaken for a thief and claimed he had been assaulted and his body was only discovered on Thursday morning.
“The issue with the candle wax and the crosses has left the family shaken,” she said.
She said Funokwakhe’s girlfriend had just had a baby that his family was still to meet.
“Its unfortunate he had to die like this,” she said.
Police spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, said the trio had made their first appearance in court on Friday.
Daily News