Educator found dead in ceiling

The community of Gamalakhe is in shock after a long-serving educator of Gamalakhe Lower Primary, Mooi Mbili was found dead in the ceiling of her home on Monday last week.

Mbili was found by her neighbour, Mpume Mbono who is also a member of the Gamalakhe Neighbourhood Watch, along with the Ward 28 councillor, Bhekithemba Zulu.

Mbono told Fever that he can’t stop beating himself up that he failed to help his neighbour, Mbili, when she needed him most.

Mbono said Cllr Zulu came to his house on Monday morning saying that Gamalakhe Lower Primary School was worried about Mbili since she did not arrive at work and her phone was on voicemail.

“I was worried because I had seen her that morning. Our houses are only separated by a fence, I saw her with two men who were renovating her home. I greeted them and left so I was shocked to hear about the school’s concerns. The councillor checked her house from my fence and we noticed that her lights were on. So we asked a young boy to jump the fence and knock on the door but no one answered and that’s when we panicked. Her car was parked outside so we called the police so that they could open the house.”

“Before the police arrived, a boy who is related to Mbili and who lives in Margate came to the house. We asked him to remove a few roof tiles so that he could gain entry into the house. We told him if she shouts at him at how he entered the house, he must tell her that we sent him out of concern. But the boy got off the roof the moment he got in and told us that she was in the ceiling. We called the police again and told them,” said Mbono.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Sibu Ncane said a 55-year-old woman was found dead at her residence in Gamalakhe on September 11 after her family became suspicious after not seeing her.

“Police were able to gain entry into the house and discovered the deceased in the ceiling. A post-mortem examination will determine the cause of death. Saps Gamalakhe has opened an inquest case,” said Ncane.

When Fever reached out to Mbili’s family, they said they were too devastated to give a comment.

KZN Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said Mbili’s death is a big loss because educators are the ‘midwives’ of an educated society.

“Condolences to Mbili’s family, Gamalakhe LP, as well as the community at large because they have lost an educator,” said Mahlambi.

Mondli Sibiya of the National Teachers Union (NATU) in Ugu said it is not only unfortunate that they lost one of their members, but learners will be without an educator at this time of year.

“As NATU, we hope God will give her family and school the strength to soldier on,” said Sibiya.

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