Bulawayo Prepares to Bury Mother and Two Daughters Killed in UK
By Desire Tshuma
Bulawayo – A heavy silence fell over parts of Bulawayo today as the city prepares to bury Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her daughters Natalie and Nala.
The three arrived home on yesterday evening after weeks of arrangements between families in Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Their bodies were received at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour before being taken into the care of relatives.
They will be laid to rest side by side this afternoon at Old Luve Cemetery.
Zandile, Natalie and Nala were allegedly murdered in the United Kingdom last month. Police in the UK named Ndodana Tshuma, Zandile’s husband and father to the two girls, as the main suspect.
Tshuma was arrested in South Africa and remains in custody there. He is awaiting extradition proceedings to the UK where he faces three counts of murder. South African and British authorities have been working with Zimbabwean officials to ensure the bodies were repatriated.
The case has sparked wide discussion in all three countries about domestic violence, support for families in the diaspora, and the legal processes involved in cross-border cases.
Family spokespersons said the day will begin with the bodies passing through the family home in Gwabalanda. This is a traditional step to allow relatives and neighbors to pay their last respects at the place the family once called home.
From there, a funeral service will be held at Brethren in Christ Church in Lobengula. Church leaders from several denominations are expected to attend.
In the afternoon, the burial will take place at Old Luve Cemetery. Zandile, Natalie and Nala will be buried next to each other.
Since news of the deaths broke, prayer vigils have been held in Bulawayo, Harare, Johannesburg, and in UK cities where Zimbabweans live. Women’s groups, church groups and diaspora associations have raised funds to help bring the bodies home and to support the extended family.
In Gwabalanda and Lobengula, neighbors have been delivering food and helping with logistics. Many who did not know the family personally said they were moved to help because of the nature of the case.
“It’s a pain no parent or community should go through,” said one community elder in Lobengula. “We are here to stand with the family.”
Remembering Zandile and her daughters.
Relatives describe Zandile as a hardworking mother who had moved to the UK to build a better life for Natalie and Nala. Friends say she stayed in close contact with family in Bulawayo and often spoke about her hopes for her children.
Natalie and Nala were school-aged. Family members remember them as bright and close to their mother.
The family has asked for privacy during the burial but has thanked the public for prayers, donations, and support in bringing the three home.
The Observer News extends condolences to the Khumalo family, relatives, friends and all affected by this loss.
We will continue to follow developments in the extradition case in South Africa and the UK.
