Village fears a serial killer is on the loose as three more women slain
Bodies of elderly women discovered on Friday as murder toll reaches 17
Terror has gripped the tiny village of Zingqolweni in Cacadu amid fears that a serial killer is targeting elderly women.
Seventeen people have been killed in just four months.
Police spokesperson Brig Tembinkosi Kinana said three elderly women were found dead on Friday morning. It is believed they were killed on Thursday night. They have been identified as Nokhesini Phunguphungu, 67, Nondyebo Nophumzile Gingqini, 75, and Nosinothi Sibhozo, 81.
The discovery of the bodies, all with multiple stab wounds, was made by a neighbour who went to investigate after he had not seen them for most of Friday morning.
Elderly women, especially those widowed or living alone, are fleeing their homes in Zingqolweni for fear of being the next to die.
Thursday’s murders came as villagers were still reeling from the earlier mob killing of seven young men who had been accused of terrorising the village by raping, robbing and killing elderly residents.
But now the murders have continued even though the young men are dead, and the 12 men accused of killing the young men are in jail awaiting trial.
Community leader Mthetheli Koki said Thursday’s crimes had left everyone baffled.
“We do not know what is happening in our village and why our elderly people are being killed.
“This has left us all shocked; fear has gripped the village, as we do not know whose mother or grandmother will be next.
“The killings now average four a month and we are afraid, as this doesn’t seem to stop,” Koki said.
He added there was a similar modus operandi in most of the cases in which elderly villagers had died.
“The victims are all elderly people living alone.
“The attacks happen on the week or day of them getting social grants, [but] their social grant money is not stolen. Most were stabbed and raped.
“There are striking similarities in all these attacks.”
Koki said elderly women living alone were now leaving their homes at night and sleeping in groups as a form of protection.
However, two of Thursday’s victims were in the same house when they died, making elderly villagers even more fearful.
The community asked police minister Bheki Cele’s to intervene. They want him to supplement provincial commissioner Lt-gen Liziwe Ntshinga’s efforts to get to the bottom of the terrifying trend.
Ntshinga said Thursday’s murders were “shocking and disturbing”.
“This is nothing but crude and heartless criminality, preying on innocent people. Just as we arrested those believed to have killed people in the mob violence incident recently, those responsible for this callous act will be found,” Ntshinga said.
Koki said: “The investigation into the killing of elderly people is always slow and fruitless.
Now there are 10 elderly people killed in our village.
“Four were killed in one night in February, and now three are killed in one night.
“In all those 10 killings of elderly people, there has been no arrest or anyone charged for the murders.
“This is very disappointing. We want results, and conviction of the person or people killing our elderly,” Koki added.
Last week, the community took their anger to Emalahleni mayor Ntombizanele Koni, saying her council was not helping in bringing about arrests.
Besides Phunguphungu, Gingqini and Sibhozo, the six other elderly women who were killed are:
Gcobile Fihla, 60 (killed December 1); Nowezile Mbovane, 78 (January 4); Nozaziyedwa Nontyida, 68; Nosizwe Victoria Yawa, 68; Mthemkana Mpoqane, 88; and Nowezile Khuphiso (also called Nomsisi Somkhosi,) 82.
Nontyida, Yawa, Mpoqane and Khuphiso/somkhosi were all killed on February 1.
The other murder was that of Mthuthuzeli Mfinyongo — the only man — last seen drawing his old-age grant on April 7.
The 12 men arrested on suspicion of killing the young men are still in custody and will be back in court on Tuesday.