Durban - The family whose six members were gunned down, allegedly by a relative at the weekend, no longer want to speak about what transpired at their Eshowe home.
“We’ve spoken too much about this, we have spoken too much about the deaths like we are praising or celebrating actions that led to the deaths. Maybe now we should focus on the support we have received,” said Bhekinkosi Khumalo from the family home yesterday.
On Saturday, elderly couple Octavia and Christopher Khumalo, their 37-year-old daughter Mbali Khumalo and her son Thabo Khumalo, 8, as well as relatives 17-year-old Snothile Hlongwane and Anothando Sgampu were fatally shot, allegedly by Christopher Khumalo’s nephew, a social worker.
A nine-year-old girl who hid under the bed, heard her entire family being wiped out.
According to police, at about 11pm on Saturday, Sthembiso Nkosinathi Mthimkhulu arrived at the home and forced the door open with an axe. He then called all the family members together and using a pistol he had in his possession, he shot and killed six family members.
“This is a hard situation for us as a family. Each day when people come to our home, we have to explain what happened; sometimes we have no words to describe and re-tell what happened. From today onwards, we will no longer talk about what happened. We just thank God for the support we have received,” said Khumalo.
He explained that his sister Mbali was the fifth sibling to have died from the nine children his mother and father were blessed with.
“Now it's just my two sisters, myself and older brother left”.
Khumalo was speaking when Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza and Umlalazi Municipality Mayor Cyril Dlamini had visited the family yesterday.
Khoza had assured the family that the department’s social workers would be with them every step of the way.
“They are here to talk to you whenever you feel all this is above what you can handle. We have also been affected by this as the department and I find myself wanting to apologise. I am sorry because this was one of our own (who was arrested for the murders),” said Khoza.
Mayor Dlamini described what had happened to the Khumalo family as a tragedy.
“Having more than two people killed in the same household is devastating. The fact that very young people who had a future ahead of them were killed, as well as the elderly who still had much wisdom to pass on, is sad. As a nation, we seem to be filled with a lot of anger,” he said.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said Mthimkhulu appeared in the Eshowe Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and was expected to apply for bail on March 5.
The Daily News