MANZINI – The gruesome murder of a South African woman, allegedly by a liSwati in KwaMashu, has triggered renewed pleas for an end to gender-based violence.
The gruesome death of 23-year-old Anele Mzila, whose body was allegedly hidden for days inside a rented flat in KwaMashu, has sent shockwaves across South Africa and Eswatini, triggering widespread calls for justice and stronger action against gender-based violence (GBV).
Mzila, a Call Centre Agent from uMgababa, south of Durban, was reportedly found in an advanced state of decomposition under the bed of her boyfriend, Nkululeko Mxolisi Yuda (35), a liSwati national.
The pair reportedly worked together at a call centre in uMhlanga, north of Durban.
According to reports carried by Independent Online, neighbours last saw Mzila entering the rented property in KwaMashu alive, but she was never seen leaving.
A close friend of the deceased, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the body had left many deeply disturbed.
“What is bizarre is that the boyfriend eventually screamed and called a neighbour into the room, asking him to look at his girlfriend dead under the bed,” the friend was quoted saying.
The friend further alleged that Yuda later claimed to both the neighbour and police that he did not know what had happened to her.
South African Police Service (SAPS) KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said police in KwaMashu are investigating a case of murder following an incident in which a 24-year-old woman was found dead at her ex-boyfriend’s rented room at KwaMashu N Section on May 2, 2026. He said: “The ex-boyfriend reported the incident to the police and escorted them to his room at Ilahlankosi Circle where the victim’s body was found half-naked, with what looked like blisters and assault wounds. The cause of death is part of police investigations.”
Meanwhile, police reportedly returned to the property two days after forensic pathology officials removed the body and arrested Yuda, who has since appeared before the Ntuzuma Magistrates Court.
The deceased’s family said they were struggling to process the horrific manner in which Mzila died.
Her sister, Nonkululeko Mzila, reportedly said Anele had become emotionally withdrawn in the weeks before her death. “When I questioned her, she was reluctant to talk. Eventually, she told me that they had broken up. I did not press further because I did not want to interfere in their relationship,” she said.
The family was allegedly informed that the body had been hidden under the bed for four days before being discovered.
The emotional trauma was worsened by the condition in which the remains were found, forcing the grieving mother to identify her daughter through physical marks on her body.
As outrage continues to mount, many social media users and activists say the deaths of women at the hands of intimate partners reflect a growing crisis requiring urgent intervention from communities, governments and law enforcement agencies alike.
*Full article available on Pressreader*
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