Bulawayo bids farewell to UK-slain Zimbabwe mother and daughters
· The South African
Bulawayo today bids a final farewell to Nothabo Zandile Khumalo and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, after their bodies were repatriated from the United Kingdom following a tragedy that shocked Zimbabwe and the diaspora.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at the Khumalo family home in Gwabalanda on Tuesday morning before the bodies were taken to the Brethren in Christ Church in New Lobengula for the funeral service.
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The mother and her daughters will later be buried side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery, bringing to an end a heartbreaking journey that drew national attention.
Bad weather delays bodies on journey from the UK
Relatives had gathered in anticipation of the bodies’ arrival on Sunday, only to learn around midday that they would not be on the scheduled flight to Bulawayo.
Despite the disappointment, the repatriation process was back on track and the bodies to arrive in Bulawayo on Monday.
The delay added to the anguish of a family that has spent weeks navigating the complex process of repatriating Nothabo and her daughters from the United Kingdom.
Even as the repatriation was delayed, the spirit of solidarity in Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb remained unwavering.
Residents continued gathering at the Khumalo family home for evening prayer meetings, offering comfort and support to the bereaved family.
Funeral marks final journey home for mother and daughters
Nothabo and her daughters were laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery on Tuesday.
Family spokesperson Leon Leroy Khumalo said bringing Nothabo and her daughters home marks an important step towards giving the family closure after weeks of mourning and logistical arrangements involving authorities in Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom.
Last week, the family welcomed the approval by British authorities to repatriate Natalie and Nala, who were born in the United Kingdom, allowing them to be buried alongside their mother in Zimbabwe.
Nothabo, 42, and her daughters were found dead at their home in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, on 3 July in a case that shocked both Zimbabweans and the wider British community.
Her husband and the children’s father, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, a Zimbabwean-born British citizen, was later arrested in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He remains in custody as United Kingdom authorities pursue his extradition to face three counts of murder.