Mhlabuyalingana community urged not to die in silence
The community of Mhlabuyalingana in Bhekabantu, KwaZulu-Natal, has been urged to reach out for help if they have domestic problems.
Various speakers made the call at the funeral service of four members of the Khumalo family.
Three of them are victims of a domestic violence case, in which the perpetrator also took his own life.
Nkosingiphile Khumalo shot dead his Sbongeleni Ngubane-Khumalo and their three children on November 27.
Their daughter survived the incident and is in a critical condition at a Mpumalanga hospital.
The tragedy comes amid concerns over the high number of femicide in the country and a national campaign against gender-based violence.
The Mayor of KwaMhlabuyalingana Municipality, Nkululeko Mthethwa, was one of the speakers at the funeral.
He strongly encouraged the culture of speaking out when people are in trouble, because silence can lead to negative consequences and killings.
The Mayor of Umkhanyakude District Municipality, Solomon Mkhombo, agrees with Mthethwa, saying no one should die in silence.
Mkhombo encouraged various government structures to stand up and help communities to fight the scourge of violence.
A relative of the Khumalos, Philani Ngwenya, was first at the scene of the tragedy.
Ngwenya expressed shock at the incident, telling mourners that though he was close to the couple – he was not aware of any marital problems between them.
He urged the KwaMhlabuyalingana community to pray for the child who is fighting for her life in hospital.