Separate cases of rape and murder in the same Eastern Cape village – SABC News

The community of Mqhekwezeni village near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape is in shock following the brutal murder of two elderly women, 74-year-old traditional leader Nogcinile Mtirara and 80-year-old retired nurse Nonceba Timakhwe.

In the same village, five students were raped and robbed of their belongings while preparing for their final exams. Mtirara was well known for being vocal against gender-based violence and theft of supplies in the area.

Villagers gathered at the deceased’s two houses to express condolences.

The brutal murder of Nogcinile Mtirara has shocked residents. She is described as a social activist opposing crime in the countryside.

Family spokesman Mandlonke Mdazuka says they are devastated and shocked by Mtirara’s untimely death.

“We have received information that Umama Nogcinile has been killed. It is alleged that two heavily armed assailants broke in and demanded the whereabouts of Nogcinile’s son, and when she refused to reveal her son’s whereabouts, they shot and killed her. We are very shocked.”

The community is outraged by the murder of its leader and has called on the government to act quickly and arrest the perpetrators.

Community member Thamsanqa Phillips says the justice system continues to fail them.

“The government abandoned us a long time ago. We called the police or the police station, but new information is coming. These criminals kill people and are never held accountable for what they have done in society. Why do we have to suffer, why do we have to be killed, why have no police been deployed here? This is wrong and traumatic.”

The lifeless body of 80-year-old retired nurse Nonceba Timakhwe was discovered lying in a pool of blood near the Great Place of Mqhekezweni, Mtirara homestead.

Timakhwe’s brother, Sizwe Nyembenya, described the incident as shocking.

“We are shocked but know that the government has no intention of taking action on this matter, elsewhere in the world criminals would be arrested and given legal representation. So we are really disappointed with the justice system.”

In the same village, five students were raped and robbed. The owner of the apartment where the victims rented explains what happened.

“Two armed assailants burst into the room, one suspect demanded the girls’ cell phones and then proceeded to rape the five girls in turn. The sixth told him she was on her period, the seventh told him she was pregnant, and the eighth simply asked for forgiveness. We are traumatized and the girls are traumatized.”

The Eastern Cape Government has condemned the incident of killings and rape.

Provincial government spokesman Khuselwa Rantjie says the government has sent a high-level team of investigators to look into the case.

“The Eastern Cape has deployed high-level multidisciplinary teams. These teams will provide support to rape victims and the families of the deceased. The team includes social development, education and police officials. The students were taken to a safe location for inspection. The police have also constituted a team to investigate the incidents.”

Mqhekezweni residents are calling for more police officers as incidents of gender-based violence and stock theft continue to rise in the area.