Durban — The family of an 8-year-old girl in KwaMashu A section have placed their faith in police after they found the body of their daughter early on Sunday morning. She had been raped and killed.
Kuhlesibonge Alwande Gumede was in Grade 2 at eThekwini Primary School.
The family said she was alone at home when the attack happened.
Her mother, Sthokozile Gumede, said she went to church on Saturday night and left her daughter, along with her cousins, and her sister who agreed to babysit for her.
“I asked my sister if she could babysit for me and she agreed. I then left and went to the night service at church,” said Gumede.
She said they found her daughter’s body at about 5am.
“I don’t know what will become of me because she is my only child. I can’t replace her.”
She said her sister had gone to buy alcohol and when she came back she realised that something was wrong with Kuhlesibonge. She alerted the neighbours but no one paid attention to her as she was drunk.
A neighbour, Bongekile Mngoma, said at the time of the incident Gumede’s sister went to the store and left the kids alone. She said the other kids were crying because they were hungry and another neighbour took them to eat. Kuhlesibonge said she was going to stay behind because she had already eaten.
“I think that is when the perpetrator got the chance to come and rape her,” she said.
She said they were often told to keep quiet about such issues because of fear for their safety.
“I will not keep quiet about this. This is too painful. I am asking myself about my safety if people in this place could target a young innocent child,” she said.
Kuhlesibonge’s uncle, Mzomuhle Gumede, said he is trusting the police for justice and that God would help them to deal with this tragedy.
“I think it would be easier for the police to find the man who did this because when we found my niece there were flip-flops next to her body. That should make their job easier. I trust them,” he said.
Talking about the last time he saw his niece he said he had bought her fried chicken.
“I bought her KFC for lunch not knowing that it would be the last time I bought her something,” he said.
The family described Kuhlesibonge as someone who was full of life and loved dancing, singing and reading.
Police spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala confirmed the incident and said KwaMashu police were investigating cases of murder and rape.
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