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.
Some tragedies are beyond human understanding – Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart
BULAWAYO Mayor Councillor David Coltart has described the deaths of Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, as a tragedy beyond human comprehension, saying no words could adequately explain the pain of losing a child and grandchildren.
Speaking during the funeral service at Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula yesterday, Clr Coltart said the grief being endured by the Khumalo family had touched not only Bulawayo but the nation.
“When we come to moments like this of unspeakable grief, the thought of burying a child is bad enough, but the thought of burying grandchildren is beyond my comprehension,” he said.
“I’m sure that we all feel that today.”
Clr Coltart said tragedies of such magnitude often leave people searching for answers that cannot easily be found.
“I’m a man of faith like you, and it is at moments like this that all of us reach out to God and ask, ‘Why?’ I don’t think any of the bishops or any of the teachers of our faith can have an answer.”
He said while preparing for the funeral, he reflected on the book of Romans, which speaks of God’s eternal power and divine nature being revealed through creation.
Quoting from Romans 1:20, Clr Coltart said humanity’s limited understanding made it impossible to fully comprehend God’s plans, especially in the face of devastating loss.
“When we look at God’s creation and think of the stars, we ask ourselves what is beyond them. Is there a boundary, and if there is, what lies beyond that boundary?
“When we look at God’s creation, our minds are too small to comprehend the enormity of God. It is that understanding that we must try to apply to tragedies like this.”
Nothabo, 42, and her daughters, Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were laid to rest at Old Luveve Cemetery following the church service.
Their deaths in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, in the United Kingdom last month shocked Zimbabweans at home and abroad.
Nothabo’s husband and the children’s father, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, remains in custody in South Africa as the United Kingdom seeks his extradition to face three counts of murder.
Tshuma family has not apologised – Khumalo family
THE Khumalo family has expressed disappointment that relatives of Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma did not visit to offer an apology following the deaths of Zandile Nothabo Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala.
Speaking during the funeral service at Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula in Tuesday, one of the relatives to the Khumalo family, Dr Ntsika Dakamela said the Tshuma family had not approached them to express remorse over the tragedy.
“The Tshuma family has not come to apologise to us,” he said.
Dr Dakamela said, according to custom, the family had expected Tshuma’s relatives to visit the Khumalo family home and express their condolences.
“They were supposed to come to the gate, kneel down and say they were sorry because what happened was not of their doing,” he said.
Dr Dakamela said the Khumalo family wanted to clarify the matter publicly to avoid speculation.
“We don’t want people to speculate. We expected them to come, but they did not. They took it lightly,” he said.
Zandile, 42, and her daughters, Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery following a funeral service at Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula.
The three died in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, in the United Kingdom last month.
Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, the husband of Zandile and father of the two girls, remains in custody in South Africa. The United Kingdom has authorised three counts of murder against him and is seeking his extradition to stand trial.
‘Their lives touched many’: Khumalo family pays tribute to Nothabo and daughters
THE Khumalo family has described Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, as gifts from God whose lives were marked by love, faith, humility and purpose.
Speaking during the funeral service held on Tuesday at the Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, Bulawayo, family representative Mr Theophilous Khumalo said the family was mourning with broken hearts but remained comforted by their faith.
He said the death of Nothabo, Natalie and Nala had created a deep silence within the family and community, but they continued to hold on to God’s promise of comfort even during difficult times.
“Nothabo Zandile Khumalo and her precious daughters Natalie and Nala, their departure has created a silence so deep that only the voice of God can comfort us. We come before the Lord with broken hearts, yet filled with faith that remains unshaken,” said Mr Khumalo.
He described Nothabo as a woman who was rooted in faith and purpose, saying she was born into the Khumalo family as a blessing who carried grace, intelligence and quiet strength.
Mr Khumalo said Nothabo worked hard from an early age, excelled academically and built a distinguished professional career after leaving Zimbabwe to establish herself in the United Kingdom.
He said she earned respect in her workplaces through her dedication, discipline and integrity, adding that she represented her family and upbringing with honour.
“Beyond her achievements, Nothabo was a woman of love. Deep, sacrificial and unwavering love. Her daughters were her ministry. She poured herself into them, nurturing their minds, their hearts and their faith,” he said.
Mr Khumalo said Nothabo wanted her daughters to grow into confident, educated young women who loved God.
He described Natalie, 15, as a gentle, intelligent and gifted young woman who was blossoming into a person of great promise.
He said Nala, who was only five years old, brought joy to those around her and her laughter reflected the innocence and happiness of childhood.
“Natalie and Nala, God’s little flowers. Their lives were short, but their impact was profound,” said Mr Khumalo.
Nothabo and her daughters died in the United Kingdom last month in a tragedy that has left both the Zimbabwean and international communities mourning.
Their bodies arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday morning in Harare after weather-related disruptions delayed their repatriation. They arrived in Bulawayo in the evening ahead of their burials today.
“Marriage is supposed to be little heaven on earth but our homes are hell” – Minister Judith Ncube
BULAWAYO Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube has called for a collective community response to the rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV), saying society must reflect on where it is failing in protecting families.
Speaking during the funeral service of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, at Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, Bulawayo, yesterday, Minister Ncube said homes, which were expected to be places of love and safety, had in some instances become places of suffering.
She questioned the increase in GBV cases in Bulawayo and Matabeleland, asking: “Kwenzenjani siahleke ngaphi? Where are we missing it?”
“Marriage is supposed to be little heaven on earth but our homes are hell,” said Minister Ncube.
She said recent cases of violence, including the alleged rape and assault of a six-year-old girl and the killing of a woman in Nkulumane, showed the urgent need for society to act.
Minister Ncube said communities needed to develop programmes to fight GBV in the same way they responded to the HIV and Aids pandemic.
“Can’t we create home care programmes just like we did with HIV? We managed to control the pandemic and we may have to do that with GBV. This is getting out of hand,” she said.
She urged families to support each other, saying the actions of individuals should not divide communities.
“BakoTshuma lazala inyama alizalanga umoya, go to the Khumalos and talk. Children do as they please. All families have burdens with bad behaviour of their children, but let us stand together as Bulawayo and Zimbabwe. Let us unite for a cause,” she said.
Minister Ncube also called on church leaders to come up with programmes aimed at addressing violence and restoring peace in communities.
“Pastors, let us sit down and come up with a programme, even if it means the city gives us White City or Barbourfields Stadium so that we fast and pray about the killings being done by our children,” she said.
No body viewing for Zandile and her daughters as packed church prepares to bid farewell
There will be no body viewing for the late Nothabo Zandile Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, as a packed Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, Bulawayo, prepares to bid farewell to the three ahead of their burial at Old Luveve Cemetery.
The funeral service has drawn family members, friends, community leaders and mourners who have filled the church to pay their last respects to Nothabo and her daughters, whose deaths in the United Kingdom last month shocked Zimbabweans.
A post-mortem conducted in the UK established that the three died from blunt force trauma, according to the coroner’s findings.
Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube and Bulawayo Mayor Councillor David Coltart are among those attending the service to offer support to the Khumalo family.
The family is expected to proceed to Old Luveve Cemetery after the church service for the final burial rites.
Tshuma family offers condolences, urges Khumalos to find strength in God
A representative of the Tshuma family, Mr Talent Mkandla, on Tuesday offered condolences to the Khumalo family, saying they shared in their grief and would continue praying for both families following the tragic deaths of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma (née Khumalo) and her daughters, Natalie and Nala.
Speaking during the funeral service at Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, Mr Mkandla admitted it was difficult to stand before mourners during such a painful moment but said God would give him strength.
He thanked the Khumalo and Magonya families, as well as residents of Waterford, for the support shown to both families during the difficult period.
Drawing from Psalm 121:1, Mr Mkandla encouraged the bereaved family to look to God for comfort and strength.
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.”
He said true help comes from God, urging the family to remain steadfast in their faith despite the tragedy.
Mr Mkandla also reminded mourners that God understands every human emotion because people were created in His image. Summarising teachings from Psalms 139, 34 and 56, he said God knows every thought and pain, remains close to the broken-hearted and keeps account of every tear shed by His people.
He encouraged the Khumalo family to lean on God during their time of grief, saying He alone could provide comfort, healing and strength to face the difficult days ahead.
Mourners head to Old Luveve Cemetery for final burial rites
Mourners are now making their way to Old Luveve Cemetery, where Nothabo Zandile Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, will be laid to rest.
The funeral procession is making a beeline for the cemetery following a moving service at Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, Bulawayo, where family, friends and community members gathered to bid farewell to the three.
The packed church service saw mourners reflecting on the lives of Nothabo and her daughters, whose deaths in the United Kingdom last month left Zimbabweans deeply saddened.
A post-mortem conducted in the UK established that the three died from blunt force trauma, according to the coroner’s findings.
Hundreds bid emotional farewell as UK murder victims laid to rest in Bulawayo
Hundreds of mourners and a convoy of hundreds of vehicles gathered at Old Luveve Cemetery in Bulawayo on Tuesday to bid a final farewell to Nothabo Zandile Tshuma (née Khumalo) and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, who were laid to rest following their deaths in the United Kingdom last month.
As the three coffins were lowered into their graves, mourners sang hymns in an emotional farewell, with many struggling to hold back tears as family members and friends paid their last respects.
The burial followed a packed funeral service at Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula, where mourners were urged to seek comfort and strength in God. There was no body viewing before the burial.
A post-mortem conducted in the United Kingdom established that Nothabo and her daughters died from blunt force trauma, according to the coroner’s findings.
The burial brought to an end weeks of grief for the Khumalo and Tshuma families, as well as Zimbabweans at home and abroad who had followed the tragic case.
