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Memorial service of seven-year-old Nhlalwenhle Magwaza whose body was found in a bush a few weeks after being reported missing
The family of a seven-year-old girl who was raped and brutally murdered, allegedly by a relative, at Umbumbulu, south of Durban says they will not find closure until the perpetrator is sentenced.
Nhlalwenhle Magwaza was reported missing in November 2025, and her remains were found last week in a nearby bush.
A 40-year-old relative charged in connection with her alleged rape and murder appeared in court earlier this week.
Speaking at the victim’s memorial service held at Intinyane Primary School, mother Simangele Magwaza described her daughter as a ray of light who stood out wherever she went.
“May they respond swiftly. The police need to listen to people when they report something, they must intervene urgently. They must pay attention and act with a sense of urgency because maybe my child would still be alive, because I know she is a fighter. I am positive that on the day I reported she was still alive, maybe we would have found her alive. The perpetrator must be kept behind bars and never released. No one can possibly understand the pain I am feeling. I can’t explain it. She was a good child.”
IN PICTURES | Learners from Intinyane Primary School as well as community members from uMbumbulu south of Durban, have gathered for an emotional memorial service of seven year old Nhlalwenhle Magwaza whose body was found in a bush a few weeks after being reported missing.… pic.twitter.com/EKDowBzzaY
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 16, 2026
