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Beatrice De Lange (80) was hacked to death, allegedly by her 31-year-old grandson, in her home in New Germany, west of Durban, over the weekend.

Her body was dismembered and the alleged killer was seen playing with her head, kicking it around the family home.

Her grandson, Thabo Ntokozo Nzimande, was arrested after the incident and made a brief appearance in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court.

The matter was postponed for further investigation and he was taken for medical check-ups.

KZN Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza expressed horror and sorrow over the woman’s brutal murder, calling it a stark reflection of a broader societal issue where older people’s lives are increasingly disregarded.

Khoza said the attack was abhorrent and a reflection of the worst form of moral decline. She said the murder must have been painful and terrifying for De Lange.

“We find solace that law enforcement agencies quickly arrested the suspect. Such heinous acts of violence are utterly unacceptable.

“The dismemberment and violation of a corpse, [allegedly] by her grandson, including the grotesque act of playing with her head, warrants an assessment of his state of mind. We cannot rule out substance abuse as a contributing factor to such a level of cruelty,” she said.

Khoza called on the public to provide support to the De Lange family during this difficult time.

“As a society, we need to address mental health issues more effectively and confront substance abuse, which seems to be destroying our youth.

“We send our heartfelt condolences to the family and neighbours of the deceased. Our team of social workers will be dispatched to provide psycho-social support to the family,” she said.

Khoza also called on society to come together to put an end to such killings.

“We need to work collectively to ensure that our youth grow up with a sense of responsibility and compassion towards the elderly, preventing such horrific incidents from ever occurring again.”