The community of uMthwalume on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast has turned out in their numbers at the uMzumbe Magistrate’s Court where the suspects arrested in connection with the murders of at least five women are expected to appear.
The matter is expected to be head by the courts, however, at this stage it is not clear if it will go ahead, as there are reports that one of the suspects has committed suicide and the other has sustained injuries while in custody.
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Community members are protesting outside Umzumbe Magistrate’s court where suspects who were arrested in connection with the discovery of the women’s bodies are set to appear. pic.twitter.com/buK8yFAYeY— Fanele Mhlongo (@FaneleMhlongo1) August 17, 2020
KwaZulu Natal police are yet to confirm both incidents.
People have come out in their numbers and Police Minister Bheki Cele is expected to be in attendance.
Sources say one of the alleged suspects was found hanging inside the police cells in Scottburgh, south of Durban, where he was being held.
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The recent discovery of women’s bodies in sugarcane fields is not new in uMthwalume. In 2018, the body of Bajabulile Duma was also found in a sugarcane field. Akhona and Nelisiwe Gumede went missing in March 2020 and their bodies were found a month later in a sugarcane plantation.
The bodies of Nelisiwe Dube, Zama Chiliza and the recent unidentified half-naked body found on Wednesday brings to six the number of women who were dumped in sugar cane fields after being murdered.
Some of the bodies were badly decomposed, but it has been established that some victims were raped, while some were also missing body parts.
Police are still to confirm suicide reports in uMthwalume
#sabcnews Two men arrested in connection with discovery of bodies of women in a sugarcane plantation in uMthwalume are expected to appear in the Umzumbe Magistrate’s court. pic.twitter.com/xHXokIsAkS
— Fanele Mhlongo (@FaneleMhlongo1) August 17, 2020
