Nokuthula Mathenjwa was shot dead on Tuesday. Picture: Supplied
The devastated family of the Chatsworth school security guard who was killed by suspects fleeing a cash heist scene, have described their heartbreak.
Nokuthula Mathenjwa was killed when the robbers, who were engaged in a high-speed chase with security officers and police, fired indiscriminately in the Silverglen area, fatally wounding her on Tuesday morning.
She had been on her way to Lotus Primary School in Westcliff where she had worked for four years.
While it was first reported that her surname was Mbanjwa, her family clarified that it was Mathenjwa.
Speaking to The Mercury yesterday, her brother, Sabelo Mathenjwa, said the family is devastated.
He said they needed financial assistance to transport her body to her home town of uMhlabuyalingana.
“The sudden and tragic loss of Nokuthula has left us heartbroken and facing many challenges. Our biggest concern right now is how to get her body from Durban to uMhlabuyalingana for burial, which is a difficult and expensive process,” he said.
Sabelo said he was contacted on Tuesday and informed about what happened.
“We were all shocked and devastated. The person she was with at the time of the incident used her phone to get my contact information and told us the terrible news,” Sabelo said.
He said the family wanted to give Mathenjwa dignified farewell.
“If there is any kind of support available for families in such tragic situations, we would really appreciate it,” he said.
Mathenjwa would have turned 40 on Valentine’s Day and was described as having a caring and vibrant presence.
Thandeka Mdunge, a teacher at Lotus Primary School, said: “Nokuthula was a person who was loved by everyone, the staff, the kids, and the parents,” Mdunge said.
“She was a very friendly person who loved to laugh. It was a pleasure to work with her. To some of us, she was not just a colleague; she was a sister. And to the learners, she was not just a security guard. To some of them, she was like a mother figure, an aunt.”
Mdunge said Mathenjwa’s dedication to the school went beyond her security guarding duties.
“She would not leave the school premises until every child had gone home or had been collected by their designated transport. She always made sure the children were safe.”
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said an armed gang ambushed a cash-in-transit vehicle, assaulted two security guards, and stole an undisclosed amount of money before opening fire.
The suspects fled through Bayview and Silverglen, shooting at bystanders and attempting to hijack a minibus taxi. It was during this chaos that Mathenjwa was shot and killed.
Another bystander was wounded, and a security officer pursuing the suspects was injured.
Later, two of the suspects engaged in a shootout with police on Che Guevara Road, where one suspect was killed, and another was critically injured.
Mafika Mndebele, spokesperson for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, extended his condolences to Mathenjwa’s family and highlighted concern about violent crimes in the province.
“Losing a loved one in such a tragic and senseless act of violence is devastating,” Mndebele said.
“The loss of a breadwinner leaves a financial and emotional burden on those left behind, and we recognise the urgent need for support in such cases.”
Mndebele called for intensified police efforts to combat organised crime.
He said the ANC would engage with relevant stakeholders to explore possible assistance for Mathenjwa’s grieving family.
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