Just weeks ago, scores of mourners gathered to bid farewell to a woman many knew and loved simply as Nana.
Nokuthula Nana Nxumalo, a well-known socialite celebrated for her larger-than-life personality, vibrant spirit and love for people, was buried on August 8, four days after her sudden death.
For those who knew her, Nana’s death was a painful shock. She had reportedly succumbed to a mysterious, short illness on August 4, leaving her friends, family and those who knew her in social circles struggling to come to terms with her sudden departure.
Her funeral brought the usual finality that accompanies death. She was mourned.
She was laid to rest and her loved ones were left to grieve a woman remembered for her warmth, her love for children and loved ones and unmistakable presence in social circles.
But only weeks after Nana was buried, hair-raising revelations have emerged that have turned the circumstances surrounding her death upside down.
The person now accused of being behind her death is the 18-year-old nephew she had raised from birth.
Mukelo Dlamini Msibi of Ngculwini has appeared before the Manzini Magistrate’s Court facing a murder charge over the death of the woman, who had reportedly raised and provided for him as her own.
The allegations have raised a chilling question: “what really happened to Nana on the morning of August 4?”
Her sudden death was, therefore, difficult for many to comprehend. But what was initially understood as a mysterious illness is now at the centre of a murder investigation. Nxumalo was the sister of Msibi’s biological mother.
According to information gathered by the Eswatini Observer, she had raised the teenager since tender age and was responsible for his upkeep because his biological mother was reportedly unable to care for him. The teenager had previously been enrolled at Vulamasango after being arrested in connection with a sexual offence-related matter involving allegations that he had molested boys.
However, Nxumalo reportedly opposed him remaining at the institution and brought him home to live with her and her children.
The decision reportedly caused controversy within the family, with some relatives opposed to his removal from the institution.
Nana, however, reportedly took him home. The same young man is now accused of killing her.
According to information from a source, the events allegedly began with an ordinary breakfast. It was reportedly unusual for Msibi to prepare food for Nana, as he had never made breakfast for her before. But on the morning of August 4, he allegedly prepared fried eggs.
It is alleged that a poisonous substance was added to the eggs before they were served to Nana.
After eating the breakfast, she reportedly started complaining of intense and inexplicable pain throughout her body.
She allegedly described the sensation as similar to having consumed drugs. She then reportedly started vomiting and passing stool at the same time. The symptoms were sudden and severe.
In an even more disturbing development, Msibi allegedly attempted to feed the same eggs to Nana’s eight-month-old child. However, the baby did not eat the food. The nanny reportedly refused to allow the child to take a bite, explaining that the baby was already having cereal.
She also purportedly observed that the egg appeared burnt. The child was, therefore, spared from eating the meal.
According to information gathered during the investigation, Msibi later allegedly gave an account of the events while being questioned by police. But when asked why he would do this to the woman who had raised him, he reportedly had no answer.
Instead, he allegedly implicated a 17-year-old neighbour, whom he accused of working with him. The neighbour reportedly denied the accusation.
These allegations have not been tested in court.
Msibi appeared before the Manzini Magistrate’s Court on Friday, charged with murder. According to the charge sheet, he allegedly killed Nxumalo at Ngculwini on August 4.
His right to legal representation was explained to him, but he elected to conduct his defence.
He was remanded in custody until Wednesday, pending committal to the High Court. The accused remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The allegations against Msibi come against a troubling backdrop of other cases in which young people have allegedly been involved in fatal violence.
In a separate incident which took place in late December last year, a Fairview family was left devastated after a 13-year-old boy allegedly stabbed his stepfather during a domestic dispute over scones on Boxing Day.
The incident occurred at about 3pm on December 26 at a rented flat in Makholweni.
According to the Royal Eswatini Police Service, the deceased, a 50-year-old man identified as Ndlala, sustained a fatal stab wound to the chest and was pronounced dead upon arrival at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital.
Preliminary investigations reportedly indicated that the dispute arose after the boy was questioned about giving scones to his friends while his mother was away attending a funeral in Siteki. Fairview Community Police member Thobile Thwala reportedly said Ndlala had been in a relationship with the boy’s mother for close to 15 years.
The couple shared two young children and lived together as a family at the rented flat in Makholweni.
On the day of the incident, the boy’s mother was reportedly in Siteki attending the burial of a relative, leaving Ndlala in charge of the children.
Nephew allegedly targeted uncle a day before aunt’s death
A day before the alleged killing of his aunt, the 18-year-old accused reportedly attempted to poison another member of the family.
According to impeccable sources, the teenager allegedly prepared water on a Sunday and offered it to his uncle, in what now has been suspected may have been an earlier attempt to harm him.
The uncle reportedly did not consume the water, preventing what could have been another tragedy within the family. The following Tuesday, the teenager allegedly prepared breakfast for his aunt, Nokuthula Nana Nxumalo, who later became severely ill and died. The accused, Mukelo Dlamini Msibi, has since appeared before the Manzini Magistrate’s Court facing a murder charge.
The allegations against him have not been tested in court and he remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
