Protesters angry that man accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend 'walks free'

EFF members and residents of Samora Machel and Kosovo marched to the Philippi police station on Wednesday. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)

EFF members and residents of Samora Machel and Kosovo marched to the Philippi police station on Wednesday. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Sep 17, 2020

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Cape Town - Members of the EFF and the communities of Samora Machel and Kosovo marched to the Philippi police station on Wednesday demanding the arrest of a man accused of killing his former girlfriend and her unborn baby and allegedly burning her body.

The body of 22 year old Ntombizandile Mdutyini was allegedly discovered dumped in a dustbin in bush in Isiqalo, near Mitchells Plain, on August 25

In a memorandum received by the police the community said they were sick and tired of being harassed and violated (sexually and otherwise), murdered, beaten up and abused by men known to them and the community, with no consequences.

The communities called for the immediate arrest of the suspect which they said was known to the family and the community. They also called for protection and visibility of police officers in the area, regular updates on the case from the detective, and immediate transfer of the case from the local police station to the province with regular updates.

EFF members and residents of Samora Machel and Kosovo marched to the Philippi police station on Wednesday. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)
Angry Samora Machel residents marched against Gender Based Violance in Philippi after Ntombizandile Mdutyini was stabbed to death and her partially burnt body found dumped in a dustbin in Siqalo informal settlement. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/ African News Agency(ANA)
Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency(ANA)

Community leader Luxolo Nqezu said the community demanded that the police tell them which side they were on, criminals or community.

“The police watch as these criminals, thugs and sexual pests constantly violate us. Despite our numerous calls to police, cases opened and whistle-blowing, our calls are ignored, our killers and perpetrators are walking freely. We say enough is enough, we can no longer breathe under a kleptocratic police service, our lives no longer matter. The attitude of police and law enforcements agencies has left us with one choice for the sake of our survival by consciously taking the law into our own hands,” he said.

“(We are) noting the widespread killing of women by men, the killing of Madutyini and her unborn child in Samora Machel and police inefficiencies in handling reported cases of domestic violence and related crimes.”

The communities gave the police seven days to respond to their demands, through a public community meeting.

Madutyini's older sister, Thandokazi Mdutyini, said the former boyfriend was a violent person and had demanded her sister abort her pregnancy after he was released from jail. She said the family were living in fear.

“It is painful to lose a family member killed by someone that is known to us, only to bump into him almost everyday, roaming the streets as if nothing happened while the police say they are investigating,” she said.

She said the family were struggling to bury her sister as she was the only person working in the family. The family had planned to bury her in the Eastern Cape, but due to financial constraints would bury her in Kosovo.

Angry Samora Machel residents march against Gender Based Violence in Philippi after Ntombizandile Mdutyini was stabbed to death and her partially burnt body found dumped in a dustbin in Siqalo informal settlement. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency(ANA)

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