By Anita Dangazele
A family from Cumakala village in Lady Frere in the Eastern Cape was dealt a double blow when they learned that their beloved gogo had been murdered by one of their own.
Gogo Nomvula Solani, 71, was unmarried and lived alone.
On Monday last week, a few days after receiving her pension, her 27-year-old nephew arrived with his two friends and demanded money from her.
The suspects allegedly struck her on the head with a blunt object and then carried her body in a wheelbarrow to the garden, where they buried her.
Solani’s neighbour, Nowethu Lumko, said she got worried when did not see “MaGxarha”, as she affectionately called her, for several days. She alerted the family on Friday.
On Saturday, the family and residents of the small village started looking for MaGxarha.
A community member who was part of the search said when they went into her mud hut they saw blood near the bed.
“We could see there was blood just below where her bed stood. When we looked further we could see the tyre track of a wheelbarrow,” he said.
He said they followed the trail which led them to the garden.
“In the garden, we could see where the wheelbarrow had stood while they dug a hole to bury her body,” he said.
“Her nephew was there with us when we found her body. He kept on screaming and pacing up and down as we dug up her body. That made us suspicious.”
Police were called to the scene and the young man confessed to having killed his aunt for her grant money.
Family member Lydia Jacobs said the family was saddened that the old woman suffered such a terrible death in her old age.
She said the family was shocked that the murder was committed by one of their own.
“We want the law to take its course. Hopefully, when he comes out of prison he’ll be a better person,” she said.
The three suspects are expected to appear in the Lady Frere Magistrate’s Court soon.
Pictured above: Nomvula Solani, 71, was bludgeoned to death in her home.
Image source: Supplied
