A Mthatha school hostel became the scene of a mysterious and bloody murder when a teacher was found dead with a knife still lodged in her back. The discovery of the body of Nondumo Mdleleni-Mzimane‚ 50‚ the deputy principal of Efata School for the Deaf and Blind‚ has left staff and pupils in shock.Mdleleni-Mzimane was found lying face down on the floor at around 5pm on Tuesday. She had four stab wounds in her back.Her room is attached to the hostel not far from where pupils eat.Speculation was rife among colleagues on Wednesday that her killer may have entered her room through the roof.Teachers‚ who would not give their names as they are not authorised to speak to the media‚ said the victim had screamed loudly.They rushed there but when they arrived Mdleleni-Mzimane did not respond and her room was locked.They called police and when they arrived they kicked the door in.That was when they found Mdleleni-Mzimane dead in the blood-splattered room.Mthatha police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Dineo Koena on Wednesday said an “unknown person” had stabbed the deputy principal.“Neighbours said they heard a scream and when we arrived‚ the door was locked.“We kicked the door down and found a female with several stab wounds on her upper body.“At this stage the suspect is unknown. That will come out of the investigation‚” said Koena.Police have ruled out robbery as a motive as both her cellphones were found at the scene.They confirmed the ceiling had been broken open.The victim’s husband‚ Yandisa‚ was too devastated to be interviewed on Wednesday.His brother and family spokesman Babini‚ who travelled with he couple’s children from East London to the family home in Ncise village outside Mthatha‚ said the incident had left them with more questions than answers.“We want to know what triggered the whole thing.“Where did it start and why?“We don’t want to assume it was just a robbery. With time‚ we hope we will get answers‚” he said.Babini described his sister-in-law as a supportive “hen mother” to the whole family. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.The couple have two daughters and a son‚ aged 20‚ 19 and 10.Colleagues and school governing body (SGB) members said Mdleleni-Mzimane’s death would leave a “huge void” in the small disabled education fraternity.Shocked teachers at the school say they are now living in fear‚ citing poor security measures.Colleague Logical Dlulisa‚ 50‚ condemned the act of violence against a defenceless woman.“This is a brutal assassination of an innocent lady and a defenceless woman.“It [the door] was locked from the inside‚” he said.Dlulisa‚ who has worked at the school for the 30 years‚ said security at the school was a “complex issue”.Strangers could not necessarily be detected as there was an influx of parents either dropping children or picking them up following the holiday.Teacher‚ pupils and police investigators gathered in the school hall on Wednesday for prayers and counselling.House mother Nowam Kupiso‚ who described the economic management science teacher and deputy principal as a “tall and pretty lady”‚ said: “We are in-laws.“I last spoke to her on Monday. Little did I know it was my last time speaking to her.“She died while we were feeding the children and we did not hear a thing‚” said the shocked woman.SGB chairwoman Vicky Neti sent her condolences and prayers to both family and pupils.“The death of a teacher leaves a huge void for the school because teachers for disabled pupils are a very scarce commodity.“It is one too many and it will not be easy to replace her‚” said Neti. – Daily Dispatch..