NHLANGANO – In a tragic turn, a graduate teacher, overwhelmed by unemployment, chose to end his life, highlighting a growing crisis.

The 29-year-old Lindokuhle Wonderboy Mathunjwa committed suicide on Friday at his homestead at Zikhotheni, under the Shiselweni 1 Constituency.

He reportedly consumed a poisonous substance mixed with an avocado after penning a suicide note, with three poignant messages addressed to his parents, his child and church members. Lindokuhle, who graduated in 2020 with a teaching qualification from Ngwane Teacher’s Training College, had reportedly been struggling with unemployment and the burden of his parents supporting him instead of the other way around. The unemployment rate in the kingdom is 35.7 per cent.

Incident

His father, Aaron Mathunjwa, confirmed the incident to this publication. He expressed difficulty in pinpointing the exact reason for Lindokuhle’s actions, stating that his son left a suicide note complaining about being unemployed and receiving financial assistance, even for clothes, from his parents.

“It was difficult to say what really pushed him to take his life because he only complained about being unemployed and he was being assisted by his parents instead of the other way round, and even his clothes are bought for him by his parents,” his father explained.

On the day of the tragedy, Aaron had told his son to prepare to collect clothes he had bought for him on lay-by in Nhlangano. However, around 8am, Lindokuhle was nowhere to be found and his phone rang unanswered.

His father recounted that Lindokuhle had locked himself in his room. When calls to his phone went unanswered, they reported him missing to the police. The poisonous substance, identified by his father, was allegedly mixed with an avocado and found next to him.

His father believes the tragic event occurred while he was not picking up his calls, as when they located him around 6pm, he had already passed away. His phone had rung until the battery was flat and turned off. Police arrived to collect his body around 7pm.

Lindokuhle studied teaching at Ngwane Teacher’s Training College, graduating in 2020. When asked about his son’s employment history since graduation, Aaron stated that he once worked at OBC Store before it got burnt and afterwards worked in a liquid petroleum gas filling company.

Qualification

Aaron further revealed that they had discussed his son pursuing work related to his teaching qualification. “We both discussed that he should do work related to the course he studied,” his father said. Lindokuhle subsequently taught at a school in Lavumisa, but stopped and returned home, a decision his father could not comprehend.

His father encouraged him to acquire a driver’s licence to assist with driving vehicles at their homestead, which Lindokuhle was reportedly doing at the time of his death.

Lindokuhle left behind a letter containing three messages. His father managed to photograph parts of the letter, which is currently with the police. A section of the letter directed to his parents read: “Make, babe I am stupid I know, but ngeke ngiphile kanjena, lemphilo lena akusiyo. Ngimdzala nangingaka kutsi ngingatsengelwa timphahla, ngitsi nangihleti ngibala kwehle tinyembeti. Yes babe is supposed to take care of me as his child, but hhayi nanginesilevu sigcwele buso. I am really sorry.”

(Translation: Mother, father, I am stupid I know, but I cannot live like this. This life is not for me, I am too old to be bought clothes by my parents. When I consider this, tears fall down. Yes, my father is supposed to take care of me as his child, but not when I am a grown man. I am really sorry.)

Another boy (15) hangs himself

NHLANGANO – In a second tragic incident to hit Ezikhotheni, under the Shiselweni 1 Constituency, a 15-year-old boy reportedly took his own life last Wednesday afternoon by hanging himself.

Melokuhle Mafu’s body was discovered near his family’s kraal.

According to a source close to the matter, Melokuhle, a pupil at Mantambe High School, used a rope to hang himself from a tree next to the kraal. He was found deceased at the scene.  The motive behind his actions remains unknown, as he reportedly did not confide in anyone about any personal struggles he might have been facing.

At the time of his passing, Melokuhle was living with his grandmother and a sibling. This publication attempted to contact Melokuhle’s father twice for comment; however, he respectfully declined to speak at the time, stating he was occupied with attending to people.

Acting Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer, Inspector Mazwi Ndzimandze, confirmed the incident involving a 15-year-old boy who committed suicide.