derick.khumalo
Bongani Ndlovu, [email protected]
THE arrival of the bodies of Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, in Zimbabwe has been delayed after bad weather disrupted their journey from the United Kingdom, forcing the aircraft carrying them to divert before reaching its scheduled transit destination in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The diversion meant the bodies missed their connecting Ethiopian Airlines flight to Bulawayo on Sunday morning, delaying their return home by several hours.
Family spokesperson Mr Khumalo said the aircraft was unable to land in Addis Ababa because of adverse weather conditions and was instead diverted to Djibouti.
“The flight from the United Kingdom failed to land in Addis Ababa because of bad weather. It had to divert to Djibouti, and because of that, they missed the connecting flight from Addis Ababa to Bulawayo,” he said.
Mr Khumalo said the bodies are now expected to arrive at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare around midnight before being transported by road to Bulawayo.
Despite the delay, he said all funeral arrangements remain unchanged.
The bodies are expected to briefly pass through the Khumalo family home in Gwabalanda before a funeral service at the Brethren in Christ Church in Lobengula. Thereafter, Nothabo and her daughters will be laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery on Tuesday.
Mr Khumalo said the repatriation marks an important step towards bringing closure to the grieving family after weeks of mourning and logistical arrangements involving authorities in Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom.
Earlier, he said the family had been relieved after British authorities approved the repatriation of Natalie and Nala, who were born in the United Kingdom, allowing them to be buried alongside their mother in Zimbabwe.
“It was our worry as a family that as the children were born in the United Kingdom, but the authorities were very understanding about burying the two children along with their mother in Zimbabwe, rather than separating them.
“Zandile’s mother and father are comforted about this development as this had been their heart’s desire that their grandchildren and daughter be buried in Zimbabwe as a way for them to get closure,” he said.
Nothabo (32) and her daughters were found dead at their home in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, on July 3 in a case that shocked both Zimbabweans and the wider British community.
Her husband and the children’s father, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, a Zimbabwean-born British citizen, was later arrested in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is still in custody as the United Kingdom authorities pursue his extradition to face three counts of murder.
The deaths triggered an outpouring of grief and solidarity from Zimbabweans at home and abroad, with individuals, community organisations and well-wishers mobilising financial and logistical support to ensure the three are brought home for burial.
Their funeral is expected to draw mourners from across the country, as family, friends and members of the community bid farewell to a mother and her two young daughters whose tragic deaths have touched many people in Zimbabwe and beyond.
