KwaZulu-Natal was plagued by violence this week as four people were brutally murdered, an elderly woman raped and a child found dead in a sugar cane field.
This is according to social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza, who expressed concern about the moral decay in society.
In the first incident, two young women and two men who had been employed at the St Apollinaries Hospital were attacked and murdered in cold blood at Centocow.
Khoza said a third woman survived the attack and was fighting for her life in hospital.`
“Two of the deceased, Ntuthuko Dlamini and Khulekani Shabalala from Ward 5 and Ward 6, respectively, were allegedly shot dead by a police officer while they were with three women,” she said.
While investigations were under way, Khoza said the possibility of gender-based violence could not be ruled out.
Horrific week in KZN as 4 nurses killed, elderly woman raped, child found dead
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KwaZulu-Natal was plagued by violence this week as four people were brutally murdered, an elderly woman raped and a child found dead in a sugar cane field.
This is according to social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza, who expressed concern about the moral decay in society.
In the first incident, two young women and two men who had been employed at the St Apollinaries Hospital were attacked and murdered in cold blood at Centocow.
Khoza said a third woman survived the attack and was fighting for her life in hospital.`
“Two of the deceased, Ntuthuko Dlamini and Khulekani Shabalala from Ward 5 and Ward 6, respectively, were allegedly shot dead by a police officer while they were with three women,” she said.
While investigations were under way, Khoza said the possibility of gender-based violence could not be ruled out.
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“Even though at this stage we are not sure of the motive behind the attack, there is an indication that the murder incidents could relate to gender-based violence as one of the deceased women was said to be dating the perpetrator,” she said.
In another incident, an elderly woman was raped by a 26-year-old man at Gujini area in KwaSwayimane outside Pietermaritzburg.
In two separate incidents, a newborn baby was dumped in Chatsworth and a six-year-old was found dead in a sugar cane field.
Khoza said the incidents of rape, abuse, and murder on defenceless women, elderly people and children were despicable.
“The incidents of abuse and murder of children are worrying. We had a newborn baby dumped in Chatsworth and a six-year-old found dead in a sugar cane field near Umhlali after the mother misled police that the child was snatched from her vehicle while driving.
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“The killing of nurses in Centocow, rape of a senior citizen in KwaSwayimane and brutal assault of women in Marrianhill indicate that we are a nation in crisis,” said Khoza.
She said the incidents against humankind had caused great pain and outrage, as they destroyed the foundation of a democratic society, human rights, and human dignity.
“Our government has introduced a lot of laws to protect women and children but we continue to experience these unspeakable incidents. We are calling for our communities to work closely with the government, civil society, and all other sectors in a fight against the scourge,” said Khoza,
She offered her condolences and added that a team of social workers had been dispatched to provide psychosocial support to the bereaved families.
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