KwaZulu-Natal beauty queen dies in stabbing after car-spinning event

A 22-year-old Durban woman who was working at a popular car-spinning event in Msinga died after being stabbed early on Sunday morning.

Sinethemba Ndlovu was a University of KwaZulu-Natal student and one of the top 10 finalists in the UKZN Miss Varsity Shield competition. She was also Miss KwaMashu in 2018.

Organisers of the Msinga DriftKHANA event in northern KwaZulu-Natal said in a statement that she was one of their hostesses, contracted by another company.

“After the end of their shift at 10pm on Saturday, all the hostesses were briefed by their director that transportation was arranged, and that they were to leave the venue to go to where they were accommodated, which was about 500m from the project venue,” the organisers said.

Some of the hostesses stayed behind to watch the musical performances.

“Reports we received also stated the group of ladies who remained behind later left the project venue, walking to their accommodation. On their way, sadly, one of them was attacked by unknown men and later passed away in hospital around 5am.”

Police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said a case of murder was being investigated by Msinga police.

“It is alleged that on September 22 at 2am at Sidakeni in Msinga, a 22-year-old woman was stabbed by an unknown suspect. She sustained two stab wounds, below the left armpit and in the stomach,” she said.

The event organisers said it was tragic to “have lost such a young woman who had so much potential”.

“As Msinga DriftKHANA, we have full confidence that our law-enforcement agencies will bring the perpetrators to book and justice will be served, not only for the young lady and her family, but also for all the women in our country who are now living in fear based on such barbaric acts by some men within our societies.”

In a statement on Monday afternoon, UKZN confirmed that Ndlovu was a BA student at the Westville campus.

"We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Sinethemba Ndlovu and wish them strength through this difficult time. Gender-based violence and any other form of violence has no place in our society. The entire nation is at one in its revulsion of violence against women, and especially the brutal murder of our youth," said university corporate relations division executive Ashton Bodrick.