Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube
“If I had one more chance to talk to her, I would advise her to leave everything and come home.”
Spoken in a low, grief-laden voice, these are the words of Velile Khumalo (76), the Zimbabwean mother of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma (42), who was allegedly killed by her husband Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma (45), in the UK recently.
Tshuma, a British-Zimbabwean citizen, was arrested on 10 July in South Africa after allegedly murdering his wife and two daughters, Natalie (15) and Nala (5), at their £1,3 million family home in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, UK.
“I can only accept what God has allowed to happen. My only wish now is that my daughter and grandchildren get buried here in Zimbabwe at Luveve Cemetery.”
“MaKhu (Nothabo) had the two sweetest daughters ever, my grandchildren. They are all gone, just like that. My other daughter has boys. All the girls are now gone,” said Velile, as her voice broke and she failed to continue with the interview.
Velile is a retired educator who has shaped thousands of lives through decades of primary school teaching.
Her other daughter, Sibongile Gugulethu Mungoni (48) and uncle Leon Leroy Khumalo (66) had to step in.
They revealed that Velile had last seen her granddaughters when Nala was still an infant, and she had been looking forward to seeing them in December when they were supposed to visit Zimbabwe.
Leon said the family’s grief had been compounded exponentially by insensitive online speculation regarding the tragedy. He said they had approached the police in Bulawayo to explore ways the family could be assisted. Leon said the family would not speculate on the killing and would not speak about other parties, as it would not change what had happened.
“As a family, we would like to appeal to all those online people who are making up stories about the tragedy to let us grieve in peace. We also appeal to journalists to stop coming here canvassing for stories as we have nothing to say,” he said.
Leon described Nothabo as a sweet, warm, loving mother who was devoted to her family.
Sibongile said her sister was the darling of the family.
“She was my mum’s handbag and we spoke often. We are utterly devastated. Words can never express the sorrow in the family right now. We just request that people let us grieve in peace. As a family, we are now keeping away from
social media as we have been encountering very distressing and untrue statements made by faceless people,” she said.
The family said burial arrangements would be announced in due course, as everything depended on when the coroner would release the bodies in the UK, and relevant immigration laws.
Post-mortem examinations revealed that Nothabo Tshuma (42), and her daughters Natalie (15) and Nala (5) died from blunt force trauma.
Police allege Tshuma fled Britain on 5 July, boarding a flight from London Heathrow to Johannesburg via Dubai using his British passport before the killings were discovered. The victims’ bodies were found the following day after concerned neighbours alerted authorities.
An international manhunt culminated in his arrest on 10 July in Kensington, Johannesburg, following an Interpol
Red Notice. South African police reportedly received crucial assistance from Tshuma’s relatives. He was allegedly found with an illegal 9mm pistol, which investigators believe he intended to use to take his own life.
The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service has authorised three murder charges, while British authorities have launched formal extradition proceedings through Interpol. Tshuma also faces a South African charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.
He appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on 13 July, where the matter was postponed to 22 July. He remains in custody without bail as authorities verify his immigration status before extradition proceedings continue.
The case has shocked both Zimbabwean and British communities, particularly given the couple’s successful professional careers.
Nothabo was a respected associate director specialising in data analytics and business intelligence, with expertise in financial crime prevention and anti-money laundering.
She worked for global organisations including Barclays Bank and KPMG, earning praise as an intelligent, ambitious professional and devoted mother. Tshuma built a successful career in corporate IT infrastructure and systems management in the UK.
Investigators are also examining financial records linked to Tshuma’s company, Nexus Trove Holdings Limited, as well as the family’s property and financial affairs, to establish whether any domestic or financial issues contributed to the tragedy.
