Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu, [email protected]
THE atmosphere was heavy with grief in Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb yesterday as family, friends, neighbours and members of the wider community endured yet another painful night of waiting for the arrival of the bodies of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma (née Khumalo) and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala.
The trio was killed in the United Kingdom last month.
Instead of preparing to receive their loved ones yesterday afternoon as initially expected, the Khumalo family was forced to come to terms with another heartbreaking delay after bad weather disrupted the flight carrying the bodies from the United Kingdom.
The aircraft was unable to land in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, because of adverse weather conditions and had to divert to Djibouti, causing the bodies to miss their connecting Ethiopian Airlines flight to Bulawayo.
The connecting flight landed in Bulawayo without the bodies after relatives were informed by midday that their loved ones would not be on board.
The three bodies were expected to arrive at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare late last night before being transported by road to Bulawayo, where they are expected today.
Despite the setback, the spirit of solidarity that has defined the Gwabalanda community since news of the tragedy emerged remained unshaken.
Residents continued gathering at the Khumalo family home for nightly prayer meetings, offering comfort, encouragement and practical support to the bereaved family.
Earlier in the day, Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Judith Ncube, paid a visit to the family to express her condolences.
Neighbours, church members and relatives gathered for another night of prayer, united in grief and determined to stand with the family as they prepared to receive Nothabo and her daughters today after weeks of waiting.
Outside the family home, a group of men erected a tent in preparation for the large number of mourners expected to gather as Zandile, Nala and Natalie begin their final journey home.
One of the family’s neighbours, Mrs Ennie Mudamburi, said she was devastated by Nothabo’s death, describing her as someone who had grown up alongside her own child.
“My child and Nothabo grew up together. They were like twins. When she died, I was pained and part of me died as well. I am deeply hurt,” she said.
“As a community, we are deeply pained. May God soothe the hearts that have been hurt by these deaths until we bury them. When we heard the news, we cried, we all cried, because she was our sister and our grandchildren were taken from us in such a tragic manner.”
Mrs Mudamburi said they are still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.
“All the women from the community went to the Khumalo household to console the family. Only God can truly comfort them because He alone knows the right words to say,” she said.
Secretary of the Gwabalanda community organisation Uzibuthe, Mr Philani Mafu, said the tragedy had shaken the entire suburb.
“When neighbours first heard the news, they were shocked and in disbelief. Some were even afraid to visit the
Khumalo household because of the magnitude of the tragedy. Eventually, they gathered together and went as a community to offer their condolences,” he said.
“The situation was heavy for all of us. Mr and Mrs Khumalo are elderly and receiving such heartbreaking news was not easy for them. They needed the support of the community.”
Mr Mafu said residents had stood firmly behind the family from the moment news of the deaths emerged.
“As the Gwabalanda community, we have been there for the Khumalo family. People have continued to come and console them from the day we heard the news until today. Churches, including the Brethren in Christ Church and the
Seventh-day Adventist Church, have been holding prayer sessions with the family,” he said.
Family spokesperson Mr Leon Leroy Khumalo confirmed that the aircraft carrying the bodies had failed to land in Addis Ababa because of adverse weather conditions before being 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 were expected to arrive at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport around midnight before travelling by road to Bulawayo.
Despite the delay, he said funeral arrangements remained unchanged.
“We expect the bodies to arrive in Bulawayo on Monday. They will lie in state at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour before the burial on Tuesday,” he said.
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.
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.
Last week, 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.
Nothabo (42) 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 remains in custody as United Kingdom authorities pursue his extradition to face three counts of murder.
The deaths triggered an outpouring of grief and solidarity from Zimbabweans both at home and abroad, with individuals, community organisations and well-wishers mobilising financial and logistical support to ensure the three were brought home for burial.
