The MEC for the Department of Health, Nomakhosazana Meth, condemned Gender-Based Violence
(GBV) and femicide after a woman’s decapitated body was found buried under a bath tub in Vulindlela Village, Dutywa yesterday, 30 August.
The woman, Noluvuyo Ndema-Nonkwelo was reported missing in 2019. She worked as an HIV & Aids Counsellor at Dutywa Health Care Centre.
Meth said the gruesome
discovery of her dismembered body at her Vulindlela Village home came as the
Eastern Cape was still reeling in shock, following the similar gruesome murder of
Nosicelo Mtebeni who was killed in East London two weeks ago.
“The department
has been robbed of a frontline worker who worked tirelessly to ensure thousands
of people in the Dutywa area received the best possible healthcare services. We
would like to call on men to stop their brutality against women. We are saying
enough is enough.
“Noluvuyo had a bright future ahead of her and would have
contributed immensely in continuing to deliver efficient services,” said
Meth.
Ndema-Nonkwelo’s husband was arrested in connection with her murder.
Meth urged
police to prioritise their investigation of this case.
“They must leave no
stone unturned in the investigation and if found guilty, the accused must be
sentenced to a heavy prison term. We cannot afford to be losing women
like we have been in recent times. This has to be addressed and we are
confident our criminal justice system would act swiftly and bring perpetrators
of these heinous crimes to book.”
Police
Spokesperson, Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana, confirmed that a man (43) was arrested
after police officers found human remains in his house.
He said this followed after the police received information from a
member of the public about the human remains in a house belonging to the
husband.
“Forensic tests would be
conducted to determine if the remains belonged to Ndema-Nonkwelo who went
missing. A murder case is under investigation,” said Kinana.
