School friends of murdered Durban teen break down at memorial

14 September 2017 - 15:33 By Bongani Mthethwa
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Nonhlanhla Gumbi's mother Nonkululeko Khathala at a memorial service of her daughter who was killed and raped in Clermont.
Nonhlanhla Gumbi's mother Nonkululeko Khathala at a memorial service of her daughter who was killed and raped in Clermont.
Image: THULI DLAMINI

A close friend and classmate of a Durban schoolgirl who was found dead in a bush with bruises on her thighs and stomach after she went missing‚ broke down at her memorial service on Thursday.

Zine Mafanya could not contain herself as she recounted how Nonhlanhla Gumbi‚ 17‚ a Grade 12 pupil at Ziphathele High School in Clermont township‚ had dreamt about “becoming something” after her studies.

Nonhlanhla’s naked body was found in the bush in the area last week. It is alleged she had been raped‚ beaten and strangled to death. She attended afternoon and weekend classes with her schoolmates and had last been seen on a Saturday afternoon.

Her body was found two days later.

“She dreamt that one day we would become something. She liked school and wanted to study and become something in future. She was my angel and she was like my sister. We were regarded as twins. I love you and I’ll always love you‚” Mafanya said as she sobbed before hundreds of people at the Clermont Hall.

Among those who attended the memorial service was Nonhlanhla's mother Nonkululelo Khathala.

Her class teacher‚ Zenzele Ntshalintshali‚ described her as an energetic and hard-working young girl who was always laughing.

“She has left a void in the school. She was among those pupils we were counting on to increase the pass mark because she was hard working. One thing I know about her is that she was always laughing.

“Even the last time I saw her on a Saturday‚ I reminded her about lessons the next day and she just laughed. The memory of her body will never be erased in my mind‚” he said. School governing body chairman Sanele Shange appealed to the police to double their efforts in order to bring the perpetrators to book.

He also urged the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education to provide the school with bodyguards to ensure a safe environment for pupils.

“We can’t have a situation when we have the police but something like happens. We appeal to the police to work hard to arrest the people who did this immediately. Our schools are not safe and we’re appealing to the department to help us with bodyguards‚” he said. 

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now