Durban - Murdered KwaZulu-Natal Grade 12 pupils Nqobile Amanda Zulu and Minenhle Amahle Buthelezi were described yesterday by their loved ones as intelligent young women with promising futures.
The girls were attacked in their rented house in Ngwangwane village, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Local Municipality (Creighton), in southern KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend.
Their attacker used an axe to kill them and dismembered their bodies. Zulu's body was found on the doorstep of the house, while Buthelezi's dismembered body was found five kilometres away on Tuesday. The suspect was arrested and is in custody.
Staff Zulu, the aunt of Nqobile, 18, said her quiet, shy niece had been attending Ginyani High School from Grade 8 and moved to Ngwangwane village this year to be closer to school as there were extra classes on weekends.
“They rented the house together as they had met at school and were very close friends,” she said.
“We are broken-hearted and are finding it hard to accept what has happened to her; she was a humble and tidy child who excelled in school.
“In the last school term she was the top learner in her grade, she was certain she would pass this year,” said Zulu.
She added that Nqobile had wanted to be a social worker.
Bukhosibakhe Phosekana, a family friend of 17-year-old Minenhle’s family, said she was raised by her grandmother after her parents died.
“She was a pleasant, smart child. She had made a promise to her grandmother that she would do well in school, and go to work to repay her for all her love and hard work raising her,” said Phosekane. “Her grandmother is distraught, she is heartbroken and unwell.”
Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza and MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni, visited the girls’ families yesterday.
“We wish to express our heartfelt condolences. We were very shocked as the government of KwaZulu-Natal, however we are consoled because the suspect has been apprehended,” said Nkonyeni.
MEC Khoza said: “We are in pain to lose these young girls like this, whom we were still expecting a lot from. We have lost innocent souls.”
Ward 8 councillor Mthobisi Dlamini in Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Local Municipality said pupils from across KZN flocked to the municipality to attend its schools due to their good results.
“Ginyani High School attracts pupils from various wards because of the level of education. We don’t want to lose these learners, so stakeholders from different sectors of government need to come up with strategies of how we will protect our girls and learners.”
A memorial service in honour of the two teenage girls will be held on Friday.
The suspect is due in the Hlanganani Magistrate’s Court in Bulwer on August 11.