On Sunday the mood in Orange Farm was sombre after the bodies of two children – Simphiwe Mcina (6) and Mpho Makondo (8) – were found.
Members of the community came together in prayer at the place where the children’s bodies were discovered. They were in the same area where Mzwandile Zitho’s body was found in April.
The community members were chanting and some were calling for divine intervention.
“One moment we were jolly and having fun, the next they were nowhere to be found,” said a devastated family member, Malehlohonolo Malatji (22), Makondo’s aunt.
“I have lost a sister. My brother’s daughter was like a sister to me, we shared a bed so we spent most of our time together,” she said with her voice cracking.
Malatji recounted what happened on Friday when the two were last seen alive.
“On Friday after school I decided to go to the salon and the two [Mpho and Simphiwe] accompanied me. I washed my hair then the electricity went off. I decided to accompany the kids home because of time. We walked until halfway home and I waited to check if they were okay before I went back to the salon to finish up.”
She told City Press that she was surprised when she got home later to find Makondo was not there.
“When I got home, mom asked where Mpho was. I was confused because I walked them home but I assumed she would be at Simphiwe’s house. We started to worry when we couldn’t find them anywhere and that’s where we decided to involve the family and the police.”
The search continued until Saturday morning when they were alerted that there were bodies in the street near their area.
Makondo was naked. Her hand looked as though it was broken and her mouth was smeared with black slime. Mcina was left with the note and his mouth was smeared also.
A case of murder is being investigated. Constable Shaan Motsapi said they had appealed to anyone with information to come forward.
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