KwaZulu-Natal Woman Stabbed 36 Times, Victims of GBV Encouraged to Speak Out Before It’s Too Late
- Nongcebo Dludla was stabbed 36 times by the father of her son in Durnacol, KwaZulu-Natal
- Nelson Zwane handed himself over to police after the stabbing and will appear in court on 12 December
- Friends of Dludla hope that her death will encourage other victims of Gender Based Violence to speak out
Source: Original
A kind, quiet person who was always there to listen - That's how friends described Nongcebo Dludla, a 27-year-old who was murdered in Durnacol, KwaZulu-Natal, by the father of her child.
Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Dludla's friend Londiwe Zelda Joubert encouraged victims of gender-based violence (GBV) to speak out before it was too late.
Dludla was in an abusive relationship
The 27-year-old was in an abusive relationship but never shared the full details of what she went through with family and friends.
Joubert said that the mother of one forgave her partner, Nelson Zwane, for things but eventually got a protection order against him.
According to Joubert, Zwane was physically abusive towards Dludla during the relationship.
Murdered in front of her son
The abusive relationship came to an end when Zwane stabbed the mother of his son 36 times in front of their seven-year-old. She was stabbed on 20 October and only passed away two weeks later, on 4 November.
Zwane immediately handed himself over to police following the stabbing. He will appear at the Dannhauser Magistrate's Court on 12 December.
While many in the community were shocked by the incident, it has also caused a split between residents.
"It has caused a small division in the community as some people have blamed the victim, while others are so angry over what happened," Joubert said.
Victims shouldn't suffer in silence
Joubert confirmed that community members would make their presence known outside the courtroom on the day.
"We will definitely be there. We want to show that we don't need these types of crimes in our community," she said.
She added that they were hoping to raise awareness for other GBV-related crimes and encourage victims to speak out before it's too late.
"I hope and pray that this is an eye-opener for people to speak out," she exclaimed.
Dr Shaheda Omar, Director of Clinical Services at the Teddy Bear Foundation, reiterated the need for victims to speak out.
Dr Omar noted that victims often blamed themselves in these situations, which shouldn't be the case. She also called on society to play its part and speak out.
"As a society, we need to take a stand. We can't bury our heads in the sand anymore."
Community march for justice
In a related article, Briefly News reported that community members held a march to demand justice for Dludla.
Community members used the 16 Days of Activism to demand justice and raise awareness for her murder.
Farzana Dookie, a community activist in the area, described how the brutal murder affected the town.
Source: Briefly News
