The parents of 10-year-old Siphumelele Mzimba, whose decomposed body was found in bushes within walking distance from her home outside Pinetown in Durban, want answers from the woman arrested for her death.

Siphumelele's body was discovered on July 4 in Nazareth, after she had been reported missing on June 13. At the time police said she had gone to a neighbourhood hairdresser but never made it there.

Zandile Nsele, 39, was arrested on June 19 on a kidnapping charge and remanded in custody. She made a third appearance in the Pinetown magistrate's court yesterday where a murder charge was added. Nsele abandoned her bail application.

Outside the court Siphumelele's mother, Nosipho Mzimba, said: "All I can say about Zandile is that she shocked me. When we saw her today, she doesn't seem like someone who could do something like this. She shows no remorse and she doesn't look like she regrets what she did. I had hoped to see a different side of her, where she would show how remorseful she is and understanding that what she did was horrible."

Mzimba said she and her husband wanted answers from Nsele as to what happened to their daughter.

Magistrate Gwendolyn Robinson informed Nsele yesterday that she was now facing a murder charge and the state alleged she had strangled the grade 4 pupil with cable ties.

The matter will be back in court on August 20.