Decapitated body found, shocks community
Her grandmother said she was still traumatised because every time she closed her eyes, the image of the tree where Mpume was found returned to haunt her.
The decapitated body of a young woman was found lodged high up in the branches of a tree on a sugarcane farm in Upper Tongaat last Monday.
Farm labourers discovered the body of Nompumelelo ‘Mpume’ Khumalo (31) while harvesting cane about 5km from Driefontein.
Khumalo went missing on February 2, when she left Driefontein to visit her mother at Magwaveni in Tongaat. Her family, still in shock at the grisly discovery, said the head was found next to the tree, still wearing a hat, and one of her legs was missing.
Her grandmother, Elizabeth Khumalo said she had been struggling to sleep and eat since the day her granddaughter disappeared.
“I was praying for her, asking questions like: where is she and is she dead or not? I prayed to find her body and bury her with peace,” said Khumalo.
Although she was glad her granddaughter’s body had been found, she said she was still traumatised because every time she closed her eyes, the image of the tree where Mpume was found returned to haunt her.
Umhlali SAPS spokesperson Vinny Pillay said the police are still investigating whether she was murdered or if it was a case of suicide.
“A few days after she disappeared, her handbag was found in one of the toilets in Driefontein with her ID and cosmetics,” said Pillay.
Her ex-boyfriend was taken for questioning but he was released as the police found nothing that linked him to her disappearance.
According to one of the detectives who was at the scene, it looked as if she was hanging over a branch and when her head fell off, the body fell on the branches below.
“The leg was not missing, it was totally decomposed and there were no other body parts missing,” said the detective.
Mpume leaves a six-year-old daughter, who is in grade two at a Tongaat school.
Her family said they appreciated all the assistance they had received from the community and the police during their search for Mpume. Her funeral was on Sunday, May 1.
Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message with your name and surname to 061 718 4438.
Please read our WhatsApp broadcast list disclaimer.
Join us on BBM at 59015786
Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.
Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.
