Khayelitsha Teenager Dies During Sleepover at Friend’s House

• A sleepover for a teenager from Khayelitsha ended in bloodshed after she was killed allegedly by an adult she was meant to trust
• The 13-year-old Zukhanye Nkabeni was allegedly assaulted by her friend's mother during the sleepover
• Her grandmother is devastated, and South Africans called for the alleged perpetrator to be arrested and imprisoned

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

KHAYELITSHA, WESTERN CAPE — A teenager from Khayelitsha in the Western Cape died after she endured a beating allegedly at the hands of her friend's mother during a sleepover on 26 September 2025.

According to IOL, Zukhanye Nkabeni was visiting her friend in the Harare section when she was attacked.Nkabeni's mother, Unathi, called her grandmother, Portia Nkabeni, and told her that she was in terrible condition.

Unathi said that she found her in a terrible condition and that she had been beaten badly. Zukhanye also reportedly took a cocktail of pills when her mother found her, and her mother called an e-hailing cab to take her to the Khayelitsha District Hospital.

Zukhanye died in hospital, and the doctors found traces of depression pills, antiretroviral,s and blood pressure medication in her system. She died before she could make a statement at the police station.

What happened to Zukhanye?

According to her friend's mother, Zukhanye was assaulted because she was trying to break into their home. Zukhanye's friend said that she was trying to come inside but was assaulted in the process. No arrests have been made, and the police are investigating an inquest case.

Organisation demands action

Women and children's rights organisation Ilitha Labantu slammed the incident. The spokesperson, Siyabulela Monaki, said the perpetrators must be arrested immediately. He said that her death was a devastating loss to her family and society.

Little girl killed in Khayelitsha

Zukhanye is not the only child who was brutally killed in Khayelitsha. Two suspects were arrested on 23 July 2025 in connection with the murder of Lolitha Kowa. The police found blood on the floor of the house swhere he was last seen. A woman and a man were arrested and appeared before 25 July 2025.

Lolitha's postmortem results revealed that she was raped before she was murdered. The results also showed that there were defensive wounds under her nails, which indicated that she tried to fight off her attackers.

South Africans furious

Netizens commenting on X were livid and called for action.

Tebogo Anzani said:

"Know the people you send your kids to. Even if it's family."

Juanita Daniels said:

"Oh, my word. Why did she kill someone else's child? Justice must prevail."

Daniel Dietrich said:

"Deepest sympathy to the family."

Hannelile Reinhardt said:

"Never let kids sleep over at friends. Life changed for the worse."

Monique Brant said:

"That's why I don't believe in sleepovers."

Couple abandons bail bid

In a relayed article, Briefly News reported that a Khayelitsha couple abandoned their bail bid after they were arrested for the murder of Lolitha Kowa. Odwa Jack and Nokuthula Matyeseni appeared in court on 20 August.

The two were charged with raping and murdering Lolitha. Their legal representatives said their families refused to take them in should they be given bail.

Source: Briefly News