News / Local
Zimbabwean man, pregnant daughter found dead a week apart in Cape Town
03 Jun 2023 at 19:45hrs | Views
The death of a 49-year-old Zimbabwean man and his 23-year-old pregnant daughter in the small Eastern Cape Town of Makhanda has sent shockwaves through the community, where police have since opened a murder case and inquest docket.
The two ran a bakery on Hill Street in the small university town and lived together.
Police and the Zimbabwe Consulate in Cape Town are refusing to divulge their identities.
Police found the young woman's body inside the bakery around 21:00 on Sunday, 21 May. There was a blood stain on her head but no visible injuries, they revealed.
A week later, her father's body was found hanging from a tree among bushes near Worcester Street.
A post-mortem examination is expected to be held to determine the causes of their deaths.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said officers were dispatched to the scene of a suspected suicide when a security officer discovered the father's body.
News24 learnt from sources close to the investigation that it's believed that the man sexually abused the daughter and impregnated her. According to the source, it's believed that he killed her and then killed himself,
All Nkohli was prepared to say was: "Police can also confirm that the deceased was a person of interest in the murder case, which occurred at the bakery in Makhanda on Sunday, 21 May."
Zimbabwean authorities and the small Zimbabwean community in South Africa are grappling with what happened.
Zimbabweans in Makhanda are assisted by the Zimbabwe Consulate in Cape Town.
Zimbabwean Consul-General Esther Tonderai Mudambo refused to speak to News24 about the incident.
Mudambo said the office could not disclose anything without permission from the deceased's next-of-kin.
News24 made several attempts to contact the family of the deceased but to no avail.
The Zimbabwe Migrant and Refugee Support Network (ZMRSN) in Gqeberha was aware of the incident.
ZMRSN secretary-general Shelton Chiyangwa said the organisation was stunned by what had happened.
"Depending on the needs assessment, we will offer psycho-social support services to the family and if they need financial support, through our stakeholders, we will assist in ensuring the bodies are repatriated and buried [at] home," Chiyangwa said.
He added that further details would be communicated in due course.
The two ran a bakery on Hill Street in the small university town and lived together.
Police and the Zimbabwe Consulate in Cape Town are refusing to divulge their identities.
Police found the young woman's body inside the bakery around 21:00 on Sunday, 21 May. There was a blood stain on her head but no visible injuries, they revealed.
A week later, her father's body was found hanging from a tree among bushes near Worcester Street.
A post-mortem examination is expected to be held to determine the causes of their deaths.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said officers were dispatched to the scene of a suspected suicide when a security officer discovered the father's body.
News24 learnt from sources close to the investigation that it's believed that the man sexually abused the daughter and impregnated her. According to the source, it's believed that he killed her and then killed himself,
All Nkohli was prepared to say was: "Police can also confirm that the deceased was a person of interest in the murder case, which occurred at the bakery in Makhanda on Sunday, 21 May."
Zimbabweans in Makhanda are assisted by the Zimbabwe Consulate in Cape Town.
Zimbabwean Consul-General Esther Tonderai Mudambo refused to speak to News24 about the incident.
Mudambo said the office could not disclose anything without permission from the deceased's next-of-kin.
News24 made several attempts to contact the family of the deceased but to no avail.
The Zimbabwe Migrant and Refugee Support Network (ZMRSN) in Gqeberha was aware of the incident.
ZMRSN secretary-general Shelton Chiyangwa said the organisation was stunned by what had happened.
"Depending on the needs assessment, we will offer psycho-social support services to the family and if they need financial support, through our stakeholders, we will assist in ensuring the bodies are repatriated and buried [at] home," Chiyangwa said.
He added that further details would be communicated in due course.
Source - News24
