The bodies of Philisiwe Mthabela (75) and her grandson Bongumenzi Mthabela (26) were found – both stabbed and cable-tied – in their locked home in Kanjani, KwaHlabisa on Monday last week.

A neighbour, Zanzele Zwane, said he noticed something was amiss when Gogo Mthabela didn’t emerge on Monday morning to feed her chickens, and saw goats wandering in the yard.

“I tried to call her grandson to notify them about what was happening, but there was no response,” he said.

Zwane’s son eventually managed to chase the goats away before heading to school, but when the goats returned, Zwane called the iNduna.

“He provided me with a contact number for [Gogo Mthabela’s] son, Mthembeni, who lives in Gauteng. I phoned him and he instructed me to jump over the gate and get into the house to check whether or not it was locked. I suggested he call the police, which he did,” said Zwane.

uMkhanyakude Cluster police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Sibusiso Mkhize said, when police arrived at the homestead the doors were all locked.

“[Mthembeni] informed the police how to gain access to the house. Inside, police found two bodies in one bedroom, both with stab wounds.

“They were tied with cable ties; one [body] was found on the floor, while the second was on the bed. We strongly believe the family was attacked [last] weekend,” said Mkhize.

Two cases of murder have been registered at KwaHlabisa SAPS, but Mkhize says the motive is not known and no arrest has yet been made.

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