Hitmen kill woman and her aunt
Joe Slovo ANC member killed with her aunt in apparent hit
ACOMMUNITY policing forum (CPF) member, to whom Joe Slovo residents all turned with their concerns over rampant crime in the area, was murdered with her aunt in what appears to have been an ordered hit.
Thabisa Mlwandle, 38, who was also an ANC branch executive member in Ward 41 (Joe Slovo), was shot after two men entered her home, bypassed her boyfriend and son, and killed her and her aunt, Ntombekhaya Mlwandle, 52, in her lounge.
Ntombekhaya was visiting Thabisa when she met her untimely death.
According to family members, Thabisa’s boyfriend – whose identity is withheld for safety reasons – said the two men knocked on the front door and claimed they had missed an appointment with her earlier in the day.
The men, believed to be in their mid-20s, apparently told the boyfriend that they wanted to speak to her and he directed them to the lounge.
Thabisa’s sister, Nomakhwezi, 32, said the boyfriend did not suspect anything untoward as it was normal for residents to turn up at their doorstep to discuss their problems with her.
“At the time, the boyfriend and Thabisa’s firstborn son, Sibusiso, were in the kitchen,” Nomakhwezi said.
“The boyfriend told the men to go to the lounge where she was with her aunt. Seconds later, they heard her scream but because she was a bubbly person, they thought she was just happy to see them.
“Unfortunately, the screams were followed by three to four gunshots. The men then ran away.”
Thabisa’s son ran to Nomakhwezi’s house to tell her what had happened.
“He came running and said, ‘Aunt, please come, they have shot my mom’.
“I immediately rushed to Thabisa’s house. She was shot in the back of her head and my aunt was also shot in the head.”
Thabisa leaves two sons Sibusiso, 12, and Siphalhle, 11.
Her aunt Nompumelelo, 67, said the family was devastated.
“Thabisa would never hurt a fly. I don’t understand why someone would want to hurt her kids like that.”
The family believes that Ntombekhaya was killed because the two men were unsure about which of the two women was Thabisa.
Ntombekhaya also leaves two children, Ncedisa, 17, and Mabuti, 24.
Police Constable Mncedi Mbombo said the motive was unknown at this stage.
“[Thabisa] was a member of the CPF and it is not clear if it is maybe connected to her role as a community leader in the fight against crime.
“Our detectives are following up leads,” Mbombo said.