Durban — The rape, murder and burning of a middle-aged woman in the Inanda area, north of Durban, has led the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development to call for the perpetrators of gender-based violence not to have peace.
MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza extended her deepest sympathy to the family of a quinquagenarian who was raped, killed and burned.
The department said that it was alleged that Dumazihlebi Doris Sithole, 53, went out with friends for drinks and never returned home in Dube Village’s ward 55 in eThekwini Municipality.
“Her partner only heard from his neighbours that Sithole was trending on social media after she was brutally raped, killed and burned by unknown people in Bhambayi’s Number Five Area,” the department said.
It said that the incident was only reported to the Department of Social Development Inanda Service Office on Tuesday.
Khoza regarded Sithole's murder as repugnant. She said local people should not sleep peacefully knowing that women in their area were not safe.
“We have been taken aback by this incident. It is shocking that we live with heartless people. They first attack an innocent woman, rape her, killed her and burn her body. This is so inhumane. How can people attack a woman after killing her, and they take her dignity, even in death?” Khoza said.
She deemed Sithole's murder as cruel and unusual. She said the criminals who attacked Sithole inflicted more pain on the family and denied them an opportunity to bury her body intact.
“It is imperative that our society should change its tune by playing an active role in fighting gender-based violence in their areas. We need to be united to end such cruelty in our communities,” Khoza said.
“We shouldn't be experiencing such cases in our areas. We are aware that there is a person somewhere who knows the criminals who killed Sithole, and we want to urge them not to keep quiet but expose all those involved.”
Khoza said the community would only win the battle against gender-based violence when united by isolating criminals.
The department added that a team of social workers had been dispatched to the family to provide psycho-social support and further counselling to Sithole's friends and family.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said a case of murder was opened at Inanda police station for investigation.
Gwala said that on Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 6.30am, police received a complaint of murder in the public toilet in the Bhambayi area in Inanda.
“On arrival, they were shown the body of a 57-year-old woman with a burnt face and multiple stab wounds on the breast, right and left thigh. The motive for the killing is unknown,” Gwala said.
Daily News