Umlazi mother in dock after children's bodies found wrapped in blanket

The Herald

17-07-2025

A woman is expected to appear in the uMlazi magistrate's court on Thursday after her two children were found strangled to death.
The bodies of two-year-old Nozibusiso Thusini and her two-month-old brother Nqobizitha were wrapped together in a blanket in Isinkontshe at eNgonyameni on Monday.
A note containing telephone numbers for their father, who lives in Johannesburg, and grandmother Neliswe Mkhize was also found.
Mkhize told TimesLIVE they were distraught and confused by the discovery of the children's bodies.
'They were bruised. The younger child was bleeding on the nose while the older one was bruised, specially on the side of her ears,' said Mkhize.
She said the mother recently moved in with them.
'Before this she lived with her children in Zwelisha near Inanda. The place is owned by my son. Some time back I reached out to her because she had a tendency of being withdrawn and was often reluctant to have company,' she said.
She said they were not ruling out the possibility the mother was depressed.
'She often had mood swings and would sometimes deliberately ignore our calls,' said Mkhize.
She said after making the move, the mother seemed to have made a good adjustment but on Sunday she could not be found.
The trio's belongings were intact in their house.
They called her repeatedly but she didn't answer.
'My son received a call from the mother of his kids who told him she was about to take her own life. I am told she said she felt unloved and no-one wanted her,' she said.
Mkhize said on Monday they were summoned to bushes near a road where the children's bodies were discovered.
She said she went to visit the woman at police holding cells.
'She was adamant her children are alive and well. She denies any wrongdoing,' the grandmother said.
She said she hopes bail is denied.
Mkhize said they were yet to finalise funeral arrangements but anticipated the burials would take place at the weekend.
Police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said Bhekithemba police arrested the 28-year-old woman for two counts of murder.
The motive for the killings is unknown.
TimesLIVE