EMOTIONAL MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR SHOOTING VICTIM

MBABANE – Sadness and grief was written all over the faces of most of the family members and friends of the late Nonhlanhla Fazoe Thwala yesterday.

This was during the memorial service of the late Thwala, who died after being shot allegedly by Deputy Sherriff Vusi Mncina last Saturday. The memorial service was held at the Alliance Church in Mbabane and the attendees just could not contain their emotions. So emotional was the service that one of the children of the late Thwala had to be assisted and escorted away from the podium as she collapsed. The young girl could not contain herself as her elder sister, Sinenhlanhla delivered her speech. Sinenhlanhla herself had to be escorted away from the podium twice as each time she tried to speak, emotions engulfed her and she sobbed uncontrollably. In her speech, she described her late mother as someone who was her everything.

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“I do not know where to start because she was both my mother and father. I do not know why she had to die like this. My mother was a strong woman and that is what she taught me as well. I know for a fact that she died while trying to fight back,” she said as she tried to control her tears. She mentioned that her mother was her role model and she looked up to her. As she tried to speak again, emotions engulfed her and the leader of the church; Reverend Johannes Mazibuko, stood up from his seat to assist her. The young woman was escorted to her seat, where family members consoled her. The reverend then addressed the gathering and pleaded with the attendees to be patient as the young woman deserved to share her pain. Mazibuko explained that the child had to be allowed back to the podium as speaking about her mother would help bring her the closure that she so desperately needed. It was at that time that the youngest daughter collapsed, while standing a few centimetres from the podium.

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Family members came in to assist and whisked her away to a separate room adjacent to the podium. Also failing to control herself was Gcebile Dlamini, who welcomed the family and friends in attendance. “We are broken and shattered. We have been left with unanswered questions. Personally, I am angry and I hope justice will prevail. As a family, it is our hope that our sister will not rest until justice has been served,” she said. Most of the speakers would now and again describe how much they loved the deceased and that she was a woman who believed in working hard for herself and her children. They further extended their gratitude to all who have supported them in various ways during the past few days since the incident happened. Meanwhile, the late Thwala died following a shooting incident, which occurred at Goje Township in Ezulwini.

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It was alleged that the deputy sheriff, who now faces five charges, killed Thwala by shooting her in the right breast and left side of the back and this is according to count one. In count two, the deputy sheriff was charged with shooting Lungile Shongwe, whom he allegedly shot in the right lower side of the stomach and right side of the chest, above the breast. In count three, Mncina was charged with shooting and killing Fikile Shongwe, who was shot in the right breast and right arm. In the fourth count, Mncina is alleged to have murdered Khulile Shongwe by shooting her in the right cheek and under the eye. And in the last count, he was charged with attempted murder. The only lucky woman who survived the shooting was Thuli Mkhwanazi and she is currently recuperating in one of the country’s hospitals.

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