When a ten-year-old girl from Efefe was sent to a tuck shop by her mother she didn’t know it was her last day with her loved ones. It is alleged on 28 January 2020, Lindiwe Ndwandwe was sent to a tuck shop by her mother when she bumped into her stepfather who dragged her to an abandoned house at Efefe area in Nongoma where he raped her. When the victim threatened to expose the accused he got agitated and strangled the victim to death. He buried her body in an old toilet and proceeded to his place of residence.
The victim’s mother got worried when her daughter was not returning from the shop, she and the accused began searching for her with no luck. The matter was reported to Nongoma police and a missing person docket was opened for investigation.
On 6 February 2020, a member of the community was herding his cattle when he noticed a foot hidden in an old toilet and immediately alerted the police. The body was identified as that of a missing Lindiwe and charges of murder and rape were opened.
While the detectives from Nongoma were busy conducting the investigation they received information that the victim was once sexually violated by her stepfather in 2018 and threatened to kill her should she tell anyone. The accused was taken to the station for questioning and he confessed to killing the little girl. He made several court appearance until he was sentenced on 28 May 2020 to two life terms for murder and rape by the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
“We all have an obligation to protect children from harmful people and we shouldn’t turn a blind eye when we receive information of any criminal act happening within our community. Perpetrators should be reported and charged for their wrong doings. We are pleased with the sentence handed to the evil stepfather who used his power to abuse the young girl. Her soul will be at peace knowing justice was served,” said the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
