Online Reporter
Bulawayo today bids an emotional farewell to Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, whose tragic deaths in the United Kingdom touched hearts across Zimbabwe and beyond.
Hundreds of mourners have gathered at the Khumalo family home in Gwabalanda, where the bodies arrived this morning before proceeding to the Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula for the funeral service. The mother and her daughters will later be laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery.
Follow our live updates below as Zimpapers Deputy Echo Editor, Bongani Ndlovu brings you the latest developments, tributes and scenes from the funeral proceedings.
Mourners gather at Khumalo home in Gwabalanda for final farewell
MOURNERS have gathered at the Khumalo family home in Gwabalanda, Bulawayo, where they are awaiting the arrival of the bodies of Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her daughters, Natalie and Nala, ahead of their funeral service and burial on Tuesday.
Tents erected outside the family home are filled with relatives, friends, neighbours and members of the community, who are singing church hymns as they await the cortege from Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour.
The bodies are expected to leave Nyaradzo this morning before making a brief stop at the Khumalo residence, where mourners will have an opportunity to pay their last respects.
From the family home, the cortege will proceed to Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula for a funeral service before Nothabo and her daughters are laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery.
Since the tragic deaths of Nothabo and her daughters in the United Kingdom last month, the Khumalo home has become a place of prayer and support, with relatives, neighbours and members of the community gathering daily to stand with the family during their time of grief.
The bodies arrived in Bulawayo yesterday evening after being transported by road from Harare following their repatriation from the United Kingdom. Family members received the convoy at the Ntabazinduna tollgate before it proceeded to Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour, where the bodies lay in state overnight.
Nothabo, 42, and her daughters, Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found dead at their home in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, on July 6. A post-mortem examination confirmed that all three died from blunt force trauma.
Their husband and father, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, remains in custody in South Africa as the United Kingdom seeks his extradition to face three counts of murder.
Today’s funeral marks the final farewell for a mother and her two daughters whose deaths touched Zimbabweans both at home and abroad, with communities rallying together to support the Khumalo family and ensure they were brought home to be buried together.
Gwabalanda comes to standstill as Khumalo family receives bodies
GWABALANDA suburb was brought to a standstill this morning as the bodies of Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, arrived at the family home ahead of their burial.
Three hearses, leading a long convoy of vehicles carrying family members, relatives and close friends from Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour, arrived at the Khumalo residence shortly after 8.30am.
Hundreds of mourners who had gathered under tents erected at the family home stood in silence as the convoy pulled in, with many overcome by emotion.
Church hymns echoed through the neighbourhood as grieving relatives embraced, wept and comforted one another while preparing to bid a final farewell to the mother and her two daughters.
A short prayer service was held at the family home before the funeral procession departed for the Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, where the funeral service is scheduled to take place.
Following the church service, Nothabo and her daughters will be laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery.
The three died in the United Kingdom, and their bodies were repatriated to Zimbabwe over the weekend before arriving in Bulawayo on Monday, allowing family and friends to finally pay their last respects.
Funeral service for Nothabo, daughters begins
HUNDREDS of mourners have packed Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, Bulawayo, where the funeral service for Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her daughters, Natalie and Nala, is about to begin.
The three hearses arrived at the church shortly after leaving the Khumalo family home in Gwabalanda, where mourners had gathered to bid them a final farewell.
Zandile’s hearse arrived first, followed by those carrying Natalie and Nala.
An emotional scene unfolded as the children’s grandmother was given a brief moment to receive the bodies before they were taken into the church. Overcome with grief, she was comforted by relatives and church members as mourners looked on.
The church is filled to capacity, with hundreds of family members, friends, neighbours and members of the community gathered to pay their last respects.
Following the service, Nothabo and her daughters will be laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery.
