DURBAN: KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development Nonhlanhla Khoza held back tears, as she heard how a 41-year-old mother and her 15-year-old daughter were hacked to death, inside their south coast home, last week.
Visiting with the family on Thursday, the MEC said society needs to unite to fight against the murders of women and children.
“The details given to us about the murder of this woman and her child show that the killer has no heart. These defenceless women were killed, despite pleading for mercy. We are told that the bodies were cut into pieces. The family found some body parts on the floor while cleaning the scene. It was one of the most brutal scenes, that makes one question what has gone wrong with society," the MEC said.
It is alleged that an intruder entered the homestead at night and switched off lights, before attacking the mother and then turning his attention onto her teenager daughter, who tried to flee.
The woman's 10-year-old daughter witnessed the brutal murders.
Khoza was accompanied by Ugu District Municipality mayor Sizwe Ngcobo and Umzumbe Local Municipality mayor Londolo Zungu.
The MEC said women who came to pray broke down, when people who were on the scene gave details of what they saw. They detailed how the bodies of both mother and daughter were found in the house, with the 10-year-old girl sitting next to them.
Khoza said the pattern of violence and abuse, directed at women and children, showed that men were angry and violent – something which needed to be investigated and necessary interventions made.
"As women, we are at pains. We have been leading a number of campaigns calling for the end to these incidents. We had hoped that men would find it in their hearts to protect women – instead we see these alarming numbers of incidents directed at women and children," she added.
She said that the killings of women and children were a clear indication that there were people who had no respect for human life.
Khoza is expected to lead a massive gender-based violence awareness campaign at uThukela District, Bergville, KwaDukuza.
IOL