Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
TRAGEDY struck a family from Bulawayo’s Sizinda suburb when 24-year-old Mondliwethu Msebele allegedly killed his 30-year-old cousin, Thatho Ndlovu, over a missing US$10 in the early hours of Saturday.
The incident has left the closely-knit community in shock, grappling with the brutality of the murder and the compounding sorrow of a family already burdened by loss.
When a Sunday News crew visited the family home yesterday, neighbours had gathered outside in disbelief as they recounted the horrifying events.
“No one ever thought Mondli could do this. They were like brothers, and we are at a loss for words. To lose Thatho in such a cruel way, and for Mondli’s family to suffer even more, it is unbearable,” said a neighbour who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, confirmed the incident, saying an altercation erupted around 3am when Mondliwethu discovered that cash amounting to US$10 was missing from his belongings.
She said yesterday at around 5:45 am, police received a report from the informant that around 3am, he heard the suspect and the now deceased having an argument over missing money.
“The suspect woke up at around 3am preparing to go to work when he discovered that his money amounting to US$10 was missing and he enquired from the now deceased if he took the money. The now deceased denied taking the money,” said Asst Insp Msebele.
A misunderstanding arose resulting in Mondliwethu striking Ndlovu twice with an empty beer bottle on the left cheek just before the ear and on the forehead.
Asst Insp Msebele said the now deceased sustained a deep cut under the left ear and two deep cuts on the left wrist.
According to neighbours, the tragedy was compounded by the absence of Mondliwethu’s mother, who was attending her grandchild’s funeral when the incident occurred while Mondliwethu’s father, who neighbours said has severe hearing impairments, was unable to hear the scuffle unfolding a few metres away as he slept in a different room.
“If he had heard, maybe he could have stopped it,” said a neighbour.
A local vendor who also spoke on condition of anonymity said the incident had plunged the neighbourhood into deep mourning and called for action to address rising concerns over substance and alcohol abuse among young people.
“I knew Mondli as a well-disciplined young boy. He grew up here and we watched him from a tender age. No one ever thought he would one day commit such a crime. However, what I know is that the two would often drink alcohol, and the accused would even come and buy cigarettes from me,” said the vendor.
“I do not really have a full account of what transpired, but I have a feeling that perhaps they might have both been drunk. The now deceased had been involved in an altercation with someone earlier during the night at the bar, and the suspect had to intervene.
“Little did we know that the two cousin brothers would later turn against each other to such a tragic extent,” the vendor added. @nyeve14
Bongani Ndlovu