Young mom’s body shows signs of gang rape

THE gruesome discovery of a 23year-old woman’s body on Sunday has rocked the Mdantsane community in what is suspected to be a gang rape and murder.

Zandile Nyakombi’s body was found with stab wounds on Sunday morning near the Nontyatyambo Health Centre, less than a kilometre from her home, by a NU3 passerby, according to the Mdantsane police.

Her family last saw her on Saturday evening when she went out “to have fun”.

However what was supposed to have been a fun night out, ended in tragedy when her body was found with her pants and panties off and with several bruises.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Nyakombi’s older sister Yolanda Phandle said: “I was taken to the scene by one of our neighbours while I was working at the Highway central business district and I still cannot believe what I saw. Her panties and pants were left lying on the scene. They raped her. Her upper body was also left exposed as her clothes were pushed up,” said Phandle.

The victim’s face was also badly bruised, Phandle added.

She left behind two children, a four-year-old boy and a one-yearold daughter.

“We have lost a loving sister. My mother was hospitalised after she heard this terrible news. Everyone who knew Zandile, is hurt by the way she died. We strongly believe that she was gang-raped and then killed. She was a big, strong girl and would have over powered the killer if it was only one person. We just pray that the police will find these people and throw them in jail,” Phandle said.

Resident Loyiso Ketani said this was not the first time a young woman had been killed in this manner in NU3.

“We are pleading with the police to be visible in our neighbourhood. Our children cannot continue to die like this.”

Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said the police were investigating a case of murder.

“The body was found with stab wounds and a post-mortem will be conducted to establish more causes. There has been no arrest at this stage but a task team of experienced detectives has been set up to speed up the investigation with the urgency it deserves,” said Mbi.

Mbi said the investigation would determine whether one suspect or more were being sought, while the postmortem will reveal if Nyakombi was raped. —