By Khanyisa Khenese
On Wednesday, the burnt remains of Kungawo Nyhweba were discovered by police in an open field near initiation huts in Joza township after a strenuous six-day search for the young Alice woman.
On Thursday, her family and Makhanda community members held a prayer session at the site to mourn Nyhweba’s death.
It has been reported that Nyhweba, 19, went missing on Friday last week after she was allegedly taken from her home by her ex-boyfriend, Xolani Gotyi, who is a teacher, and his friend who is a caretaker at Alice Primary School, along with their partners.
Alice police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, said Nyhweba was reported missing to the police on Monday, 8 July. She had been missing from Friday, 5 July. Upon investigation, police received information that she was allegedly kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend and his friend.
Mawisa said preliminary investigations by police led to the recovery of her body on Wednesday in an open space at the Ebakhwetheni area in Joza Township, Makhanda. She said four suspects were involved in the kidnapping and murder of Nyhweba, and two of the suspects were arrested on Wednesday night at about 7pm at their homes at Golf Course, Alice. Police are still following leads to arrest the ex-boyfriend and his friend as they are still at large, Mawisa said.
She said Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene and her management were saddened by the shocking incident.
Mene applauded the police members for their swift response in ensuring the arrest and the recovery of Nyhweba’s body. She sent a strong message to all members of the community that police denounce gender-based violence (GBV), and will not tolerate such barbaric acts. “We shall work tirelessly to intervene in fighting GBV in our societies and guarantee that we shall follow any leads and bring perpetrators thereof to justice,” she added.
Grocott’s Mail spoke to a close friend of Nyhweba’s family in Makhanda yesterday (Thursday).
The Nyhweba family, friends, church leaders, activists, community members, government officials and Eastern Cape MEC Bukiwe Fanta gathered at the Joza field to pray, mourn and remember Nyhweba.
In a moving part of the ceremony, church leaders took time and gathered around Nyhweba’s mother, as they prayed for her with their hands over her head.
Narrating what led to the killing of Nyhweba, a close family friend, Nyameko Wandazweni, said: “Kungawo had left her jacket at Xolani’s place and when she went to fetch it, it was torn and burned by Xolani’s girlfriend. Kungawo asked for compensation for her damaged things and Xolani told her to return on the 5th of July to get the money. When Kungawo went to Xolani’s place on the 5th, she did not receive it, instead they argued and fought, resulting in Kungawo breaking a window at Xolani’s house. Later that day, Xolani, his friend, and their partners went to Kungawo’s home in Alice and took her to Grahamstown where they set her alight.”
Speaking to Grocotts’ Mail, family member Bangile Nyhweba said the family was devastated. “I don’t have words because we are heartbroken and devastated by this death, and what happened to Kungawo is something that I don’t wish for any family. It hurts, we are still shocked and shattered by this.”
The brutal murder also sent shockwaves throughout the community of Alice and Makhanda.
Anti-GBV activist and director of Khula Community Development Forum, Petros Majola, was also at the prayer service on Thursday. He said: “There is a moral decay and damage with all men, we need to rebuild ourselves and reorganize because there is no way that a normal person would have done this. Whatever that this girl did, it was too much that a person be killed this way.”
Majola further advocated for the law to take its course and emphasized that the perpetrators must be given a harsh sentence. “We want anything from 200 years and above because there is no way we can talk about life sentence because within 25 years these perpetrators are considered for parole.”
Makana councillor Ramie Xonxa also called for justice to prevail. He said the law must take its course to stop the scourge of gender-based violence in South Africa.
A friend of Nyhweba’s said she paralyzed with shock and regrets. “I wish I went with her; I regret not going with her, I am hurt,” the young woman said.
Nyhweba finished her matric last year and on Wednesday, she was supposed to start her first year at Lovedale College. She was described as a people’s person, a friendly and respectful young woman.
The police said the two women, one 19 and the other 45 years old, who were arrested were expected to appear at the Alice Magistrate’s Court soon.
Police request anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the outstanding suspects to contact Detective Warrant Officer Khuselwa Matshaya of Alice SAPS on 082 388 9014/ 040 653 1252 or alternatively our SAPS CrimeStop number 08600 10111.
There have been, meanwhile, unconfirmed reports that one of the suspects still at large, had committed suicide.
