‘We are really lost for words’ – Eshowe massacre family member

Family members of the Eshowe murder victims in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have expressed shock over their killing.

The Eshowe massacre victims were identified as elderly couple, Octavia and Christopher Khumalo, 37-year-old Mbali Khumalo, 17-year-old Snothile Hlongwane and Thabo Khumalo and Anothando Sgampu, who were both eight-years-old.

The family of six was shot dead in their home at approximately 23:00 on Saturday, 20 February 2021. The sole survivor of that thoughtless attack was a nine-year-old child who had been hiding from the perpetrator during the killing. According to KZN police, the little girl cried until she fell asleep.

The Minister of Police Bheki Cele visited the relatives of the slain family on Wednesday, 24 February 2021, where he also condemned the savage killing.

“This is a home of six people who were supposed to feel safe inside their home. But they were killed there. We’re trying to say that it should be a social issue that all respective institutions, departments and neighbours present here are supposed to work hard to prevent,” said Cele.

#PoliceMinistry [TODAY] Minister of police, Gen #BhekiCele is in KZN along with the Provincial #SAPS management visiting the crime scene of the #Eshowe massacre where six members of the same family aged between 8 to 70 years old were shot and killed over the weekend. ME pic.twitter.com/mKio74f006

— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) February 24, 2021

Relative arrested for Eshowe killings was a social worker

The younger brother of one of the victims revealed during Bheki Cele’s visit that the 36-year-old man that was arrested for the crime was actually a relative he had stayed with. He said the relative was a social worker who moved into to Esikhawini to be nearer to his children.

“The reason he wanted a transfer was so that he could live closer to his two young children. So I gladly took him in because he is family. But as time passed he wanted to see them more, and he started spending more time in Nkanini. I still even have some of his clothes in my home,” he said.

Cele said it was clear that the perpetrator wanted to wipe out the family.

Acting KwaZulu-Natal Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Kwazi Mshengu has commended police for the arrest of the man. He faces several counts of murder.

“We have tasked police to identify all crime hotspots in the province and deploy additional officers in order to beef up visibility. We will not allow a situation whereby citizens live in constant fear. The fact that a family was attacked in the comfort of their own home is a serious concern,” Mshengu said.