Families in mourning over Umzinto murder suicide case

Umzinto couple Sbusiso Lawrence Ntaka, 32, and Nontobeko Cele, 24, seemed to be in a happy relationship which began five years ago.

But the relationship took a turn in May, and this week resulted in Ntaka killing Cele and then hanging himself.

Ntaka, a school teacher, in a video recording posted on social media, showed Cele’s bloodied lifeless body, while he was smeared with blood, confessing to her killing.

Ntaka claimed that she had spurned his love and affection because she was about to receive a financial payout. Ntaka believed that Cele was cheating on him and that the two - year- old child that they both shared was not his - a claim Cele’s family denies.

Now both the deceased’ families are struggling to accept their deaths.

Ntaka’s father Sipho Ntaka said they were at a loss for words to describe the pain they feel over what transpired.

“We never thought that he was capable of something like this. He never carried weapons and he would distance himself from places where there was chaos. He did not like violence. I really do not know how this happened,” said Sipho Ntaka.

He said that even though the family that Ntaka was in therapy and counselling over his relationship with Cele, they did not know how serious it was.

Ntaka leaves behind his parents, siblings and three children. He will be laid to rest in his hometown on December 28.

Cele’s aunt, Hlo Cele, said their family was still in a state of shock.

Hlo Cele said that the relationship between the couple appeared to be stable in the beginning , however things gradually changed.

“Lawrence’s true character came to light in May after he knocked Nontobeko with his car and declared that it was an accident.

“She did not press charges and we were made to believe that it was in fact an accident, which he appeared to be remorseful for.

“We waited for her to get better before we could pursue the matter further, but she decided that she would not have him arrested for it,” said Hlo Cele.

She said that things escalated shortly after the incident, with Ntaka refusing for Cele to break things off with him and even going as far as stalking her and tracking her every movement.

Hlo Cele said that they were surprised by the allegations made by Ntaka, accusing Cele of lying about the paternity of their child. She said this was especially surprising because he played an active role in the child’s life.

“Our question is, if she cheated, why did he still go ahead and ask to marry her then. If the child was not really his, why did he reveal that information after killing her and when she could not speak for herself,” said Hlo Cele.

She said that Cele who completed her studies in Office Administration last year would be sadly missed.

Cele will be laid to rest at KwaCele, in her hometown tomorrow (Monday).

KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshuinda confirmed the incident.

Netshuinda said that on Tuesday evening, police responded to reports of a murder on a gravel road at Malangeni area in Umzinto where the body of a 25-year-old woman was found lying in the middle of the road.

Her bloodied body was found with several stab wounds and a broken knife was found next to her body.

“Reports indicate that the suspect fetched the woman, who was his girlfriend, from her home and it is suspected that the two had a domestic related altercation which escalated to the murder. The suspect’s vehicle was found abandoned down the road from where the woman’s body was found, and blood on the front passenger seat suggested that the suspect killed the woman inside his vehicle.

“A manhunt was quickly launched and an intensive search by police led to the discovery of the suspect’s body which was hanging on a tree, in what is believed to be a suicide. Police are investigating a case of murder and an inquest docket will also be opened for further investigation,” he said.

*In a separate incident, Netshuinda said that the police in Umkomaas were also investigating two counts of murder and an inquest docket following an incident in which a 24-year-old man stabbed his 22-year-old girlfriend and their three-year-old son to death before taking his own life.

The bodies were found on Friday morning.