Another death has come to light at Durban’s Homii flats — that of Pietermaritzburg student Andiswa Mantshongo, who died in a lift shaft at the building in 2023.

The Witness reports that her mother, Nontuthuko Mantshongo, is suing the building’s owners for R4.3m, alleging negligence.

The case has returned to public attention after another child was killed and his twin seriously injured in the same building.

Protests

Crowds of protesters filled the Durban CBD yesterday, demanding justice for the Dlamini twins — one of who died, while the other is in a coma.

Demonstrators, including political parties and the March and March Movement, gathered outside the Homii building in Joe Slovo Street, pelting it with stones, overturning bins and holding placards calling for accountability.

“The tragic death of eight-year-old Aphelele Dlamini and the critical injury of his twin sister, Aphile Dlamini, in the Homii lift shaft is not merely an unfortunate event, but the direct consequence of systemic institutional decay and gross negligence across multiple state and corporate entities,” says Nozibusiso Khambule, national convener of March and March.

Khambule says the incident could have been prevented had Homii Lifestyle acted following the earlier fatal fall involving Mantshongo.

Mantshongo, from Cleland in Pietermaritzburg, was a second-year Bachelor of Arts student at the University of KZN when she fell through the lift shaft at Homii flats in February 2023, while visiting a friend. Her body was later recovered in the building’s basement.

“Nothing will bring back my daughter, but I want justice. The owners of the building should take accountability and provide us with answers.”

Her lawyer, Mhleli Mhlaba of Mhlaba and Associates in Pinetown, says there had been no signage or indicators warning residents and guests that the lifts were out of order or unsafe.

“We believe this constitutes negligence on Homii’s part,” Mhlaba says.

According to court documents seen by The Witness, Homii Lifestyle’s attorneys denied that the lift was poorly maintained.

They claimed that the elevator buttons and mechanism had been disabled between the second and 11^th floors and that warning notices were displayed throughout the building.

They further argued that Mantshongo had entered the premises ‘at her own risk’.

Dlamini twins

The father of the Dlamini twins, Khaya Dlamini, has also accused Homii and the building’s management of negligence.

Other children in the building reportedly alerted him that the twins had fallen down the shaft.

“When I opened my door, I almost fell in myself. It was dark, and I couldn’t see them. I ran to the basement — it was also dark — so I used my flashlight and saw a white T-shirt that I recognised as my son’s.”

Following the twins’ fall, anger boiled over in Durban, with protesters accusing both Homii and municipal regulators of failing to act after Mantshongo’s death.

“The March and March Movement is today demanding immediate accountability from the negligent building management, the failed municipal regulator, and the law enforcement body that must ensure justice,” Khambule says.

In response, Homii Lifestyle confirmed that an investigation is underway.

“We are co-operating fully with all relevant authorities and will continue to engage openly and transparently throughout the process. As this is now a legal matter, we are unable to provide further details at this stage. We ask for understanding and privacy for all those involved,” management said in a statement.

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