Hundreds of outraged residents marched to the Mzamba Police Station near Bizana, following the gruesome murder of 36-year-old Neliswa Cele, who was allegedly strangled to death and left partially undressed, with strong suspicion of sexual assault. The man accused of killing her is someone she loved and trusted — a fully trained member of the South African Police Service (SAPS), expected to defend the vulnerable.
The Mzamba community, located near Wild Coast Sun, is devastated and furious over the crime, which has reignited broader frustrations about the rise in Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) in the region.
Petition Delivered with List of Unresolved Cases
Community members handed over a petition to police authorities, listing urgent demands and a minimum of 10 unresolved murder cases — each with case numbers — where no arrests have been made. They also raised alarm over the widespread drug trade in the area, noting that not a single known dealer has been apprehended. The petitioners demanded a formal response within seven days.
Colonel Nel Russon, who received the petition, confirmed that the suspect in the Neliswa Cele case has been detained and was due to appear in court the same day. He added:
“Since the suspect is a SAPS member, the case is under IPID investigation, so that we don’t investigate ourselves.”
He also assured marchers that the petition would be escalated directly to the Office of the Minister of Police.
Local Leaders and Women’s Groups Speak Out
Mrs Rejoice Nkomo-Khwela, Secretary of the ANC Regional Women’s League, strongly condemned the killing. She recalled that President Cyril Ramaphosa had declared Gender-Based Violence and Femicide a national pandemic, urging swift intervention.
“We call upon General Masemola to immediately visit the Alfred Nzo District and see the fate of innocent women losing their lives in the hands of men who were meant to protect them,” she said.
She also proposed that stakeholders offer self-defence training for women, noting that women were once part of the armed struggle and should be empowered again to protect themselves.
Furthermore, Mbizana Men’s Forum secretary Philip Ndovela said they cannot tolerate the men who choose to be wilder than wild animals, which protect their females at all costs, yet humans choose to be inhuman.
“Women Are No Longer Safe Here”
Mrs Ntando Mlamleli, Project Coordinator at the Coastal Resource Centre (CRC), expressed heartbreak over Neliswa Cele’s death and others like it. She referenced the 2008 serial killings in Wards 23 and 24, which claimed approximately 18 women’s lives, saying:
“I don’t know whether women have sinned against God, or men are simply possessed to behave this way. These killings leave women deeply vulnerable and unsafe.”
Calls for Support to Police Forums
Miss Nokhanyo Dayimane raised concerns about the lack of support for local Police Forums, highlighting that unlike in other regions, forums in the area do not receive stipends or vehicles for night patrols — undermining morale and community safety efforts.
Ward 24 Councillor Mr Mbodiya called the killing of Neliswa Cele “inhuman and barbaric,” urging men to return to their senses and abandon violent practices. His counterpart, Ward 23 Councillor Mr Mbuzi, supported reviving Police Forums in every village, stressing that women must feel protected and valued by their communities.
