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In a devastating turn of events, the lifeless body of 34-year-old Mrs. Yonela Mahlungulu, a teacher reported missing on Friday, was discovered this afternoon around 15:00 near a river in Mtsila locality, Lusikisiki. Her concerned husband had raised the alarm when she failed to return home from school, and it was later discovered that she hadn’t reported to school either. The police were notified, initiating a search operation.
On November 10, Mrs. Mahlungulu left her residence in the Robert area, Ngobazana A/A, for school, leaving her cellphone at home. The tracker system was activated, leading authorities to her vehicle at Bukuveni locality, Ntlenzi A/A in Flagstaff. The car, recovered with bloodstains in the boot and keys in the ignition, intensified the urgency of the search.
With the assistance of the tracker report, police and a K9 Search and Rescue dog named “Bond,” alongside family and community members, retraced the vehicle’s route. The grim discovery occurred at Mtsila locality, where Mrs. Mahlungulu’s body was found dumped next to a river around 15:00. She had sustained gunshot wounds to her upper body.
Authorities are treating the case as murder, and investigations are underway. The motive and the identity of the suspect/s remain unknown. The police urge anyone with information to contact SAPS Lusikisiki D/Capt Sizwe Sitsha at 082 442 2714, Crime Stop at 08600 10111, or the nearest police station. All information will be kept confidential, and callers may choose to remain anonymous. The community mourns the loss of a beloved educator in this shocking and senseless act of violence.
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