Zikalala demands action in staff member’s murder case

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala has called on police leadership to trace and apprehend the suspects involved in the murder of a staff member working in the communication section of the Office of the Premier.

According to reports, Hlengiwe Madlala’s lifeless body was discovered outside her home in the early hours of Sunday morning with multiple stab wounds, with her clothes placed next to her.

Madlala, from Songozima village in Vulindlela, outside Pietermaritzburg, was an Administrator in the Communication Unit at the Office of the Premier.

“By all accounts, this is one of the most gruesome acts of gender-based violence (GBV) committed on a woman in the province recently. Whoever did this was on a mission of murderous violence and set about to carry out this act in a cold and calculating manner,” Zikalala said in a statement.

Zikalala said GBV remains one of the worst scars on society, touching every community, regardless of race, faith or economic status.

“GBV has now become the second pandemic after COVID-19 and remains a real threat to the building of a united, prosperous, non-sexist, non-racial and equal society.

“There is clearly more work to be done on protecting women in KwaZulu-Natal from violence through prevention, awareness, care and support to the victims,” the Premier said.

“We must also strengthen the judiciary and support programmes which target women empowerment and provide closure for the survivors.

“Hlengiwe died a brutal and gruesome death at the hands of a callous perpetrator. She would have celebrated her 40th birthday in August this year. Unfortunately, her life has been cut short by this brutality,” Zikalala said.

The Premier has, on behalf of the staff and the entire provincial government, conveyed his sincerest condolences to Madlala’s family, especially her children “whom she loved so dearly”.

“May the whole family be comforted in this hour of great pain, and may they find strength in the great memories shared with Hlengiwe and use these to remember the good times spent with her. May her soul rest in peace,” the Premier said.