The last time they saw their neighbour was in 2021 when she went to be trained as a traditional healer. What they didn't know was that she walked straight into her death. Nontokozo Mlambo was allegedly hacked to death by her gobela in her young kids' presence.

THE DISCOVERY

Nontokozo from Emadadeni in Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal left her home to seek spiritual healing and training in February 2021. She had no family members left so she was forced to take her two little children with. Two years later, her skeletal remains were discovered buried in a rondavel her gobela's home. 

KIDS REVEAL MURDER

Ward councilor Lindani Ximba told ZiMoja that the first time he heard about Nontokozo being missing from her neighbour who told him that she went to initiation school but when she tried to visit her, her gobela kept saying she was not around. "The neighbour said that she usually spoke to Nontokozo on the phone a few months after she left.  But when she could no longer reach her. She saved up money to go and visit her,however she was told that she's not around." For six months, the neighbour said she was told the same story by the gobela.

Ximba says that the neighbour made several attempts with no luck to a point where she asked to take Nontokozo's kids because she could tell that they were not well taken off.

"Surprisingly without a hassle the kids were handed over to the neighbour and they were 3 and 5 years at the time. They kept telling the neighbour that their mom hacked and buried in one of the rondavels at the gobela's house but no one took them seriously. Only now that they realise that Nontokozo is really not coming back they sought the help of the police and told them about the kid's allegations." Ximba said. He said indeed when the police went there with a forensics team to dig, they found a human skeleton. "At the time before anything could be confirmed they performed DNA tests on the remains with the help of the children. On Thursday it was confirmed the remains belonged to Nontokozo. The kids have since been taken by their father," Ximba added.

POLICE CONFIRM

SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said two men aged 40 and 50 were arrested and charged with murder. "The suspects were arrested in connection with the remains of a woman that were discovered buried in a rondavel. They will appear in court soon.