Figures of female victims of violence are worse than being at war

KwaZulu-Natal should hang its head in shame after several brutal killings as Women’s Month draws to a close.

From two elderly women found in a shallow grave after disappearing on Women’s Day, to a pregnant woman allegedly strangled to death by a police officer, the province continues to reflect a rise in female murders, according to crime statistics. 

A police officer, Mbuyiseni Gema, 48, was arrested for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Busisiwe Mathembi Ngubo, 35, in the rural area of eHlanzeni, outside Ixopo.

Ngubo’s lifeless body was found on the side of a gravel road on a day she was due to give birth to her three boys on August 14.

Speaking to TimesLIVE Premium, Ngubo’s family said they were still finding it hard to accept her passing, especially because she was the main breadwinner.

Her aunt, Palesa Ngubo, said she was close to Busisiwe and would confide in her about the challenges in her three-year relationship with Gema.

“She found out in January that she was pregnant, and when she told him, he said she must abort. She was ready to be a single parent and had even bought a couple of clothes and blankets for them. She told me Mbuyiseni had promised to drive her to the hospital on Monday [August 14] to give birth. 

“On Sunday night, around 9pm, she told me that Mbuyiseni was on his way to see her. She says, ‘I’m telling you this so that if something happens to me, you’ll know who I was with.’

“I heard the car around 11pm, and she went out to him. I believe that even though she felt something was wrong, she went because she loved him. That was the last time I spoke to her,” she said.

Gema allegedly travelled with a state vehicle that night to see Busisiwe and was arrested after disgruntled community members picketed outside the local police station.

While the family was preparing for the funeral, Gema was allegedly still reporting for duty. Busisiwe and her three male foetuses were laid to rest last Sunday. 

The Ngubo family was woken up by calls to come to the scene about 1km away from her home. 

She said Busisiwe, who worked at a construction company, was allegedly strangled to death, leaving behind her nine-year-old son. 

She said her phone, which has important information and documents, has not been found.

Ngubo’s mother, Thokozile, 61, described her only daughter as loving and always working hard to support her family and her two disabled brothers.

She said Busisiwe was the only girl with seven brothers.

“She was very excited and was looking forward to seeing her children. I’m broken and still can’t even sleep at night. No words can describe the pain in my heart. I’m just a walking, empty shell because I died when I saw her lifeless body. I should have been buried with her because I don’t know how I’ll survive going forward,” said an emotional Thokozile.

Gema is due to apply for bail on Thursday at the Umzimkhulu magistrate’s courts. 

About 113km away from Ixopo, Umgababa residents were left reeling after the bodies of two elderly women were found buried in a shallow grave, just a few metres from their workplace.

Zanele Doris Mbuso, 61, and Monica Sophia Xulu, 81, were reported missing on Women’s Day after they were last seen leaving the eThembeni crèche.

A security guard at the crèche, Thokozani Mhlongo, 60, was arrested after the two victims were found buried with plastic over their heads and tied with a rope. 

Mhlongo appeared in the Umbumbulu magistrate’s court on Monday where he abandoned his bail application. He is due back in court on September 27.

Xulu owned the creche and employed Mbuso as a caregiver and cook and Mhlongo as a security guard.

Mbuso was laid to rest on Friday.

Dawn Gounden, of Renegades Search and Rescue, speaking on behalf of the Mbuso family, said the man-made grave is 50 metres away from the school. 

It is alleged that Mhlongo said the two women were picked up by a vehicle with a GP registration to see a traditional healer somewhere. 

“The arrest has given the family some sense of relief. The situation is bad, and everyone is very emotional considering that Mbuso was a breadwinner. This has been a nightmare for the family,” said Gounden.

The Xulu family said they would not comment as they were still grieving.

In another incident, two women were set alight in a house after they were accused of witchcraft in Matimatolo, outside Greytown.

According to the SAPS statistics, between April and June this year, 895 women were murdered, 40 more than in the same quarter the previous year. There were 1,417 attempts to murder women, 238 more than the previous year.

Speaking during the official launch of Operation Shanela in Durban last week, police minister Bheki Cele said it was concerning that women continue to be brutally murdered in the country, with KZN not spared from the trend.

“When a women sees a man on one side and an animal on the other, they run towards the animal rather than towards the man. This is because men have become more dangerous than animals towards women,” said Cele. 

Sonke Gender Justice spokesperson Bafana Khumalo said recent stories of GBV in KZN are concerning, especially because of their brutal nature. 

“Both cases indicate the serious crisis confronting our country. That killers target elderly women demonstrates just how toxic our society has become. The figures of victims of violence are astonishing given that we are not at war,” said Khumalo.