Durban - A delegation of government officials led by KZN Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza and MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Neliswa Nkonyeni visited the families of two matric pupils who were killed in their rented house in Ngwangwane village, ward 8 in the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Local Municipality (Creighton) in southern KwaZulu-Natal.
A joint statement on Wednesday said it is alleged that a man known as Verwoerd Zulu, 20, hacked Nqobile Amanda Zulu and Minenhle Buthelezi to death with an axe in the early hours of Sunday before dismembering their bodies.
“Zulu's body was left on the doorstep of their house in the Memela homestead, while Buthelezi's dismembered body was found five kilometres away from the scene on Tuesday,” it said.
The mood was sombre as the delegation, which included councillor Sindi Msomi, Speaker Sifiso Phoswa, deputy mayor Kholeka Hadebe, deputy mayor of Umzimkhulu Local Municipality Bhekamahlongwa Lukhayi and Chief Whip Bonakele Mbele, visited the families of the pupils, their school and the crime scene.
During the visit the KZN government called on communities to take a lead in the fight against violence against women and children at all times.
The statement said various parts of the province were plagued by incidents of gender-based violence.
MEC Khoza said it was devastating to see how the killing of two girls has affected other pupils, family members and the community at large.
Khoza applauded the community for not taking the law into their own hands when the two girls were brutally murdered.
"We are in pain to lose these young girls like this whom we were still expecting a lot from. We have lost innocent souls, but we find solace in the fact that the police, working together with communities and traditional leaders, managed to find this senseless killer," she said.
The MEC said the government is confident that justice would be served.
She added that a team of social workers would remain with the families and the school during this difficult period.
MEC Nkonyeni was grateful for the speedy arrest of the suspect.
"We have to acknowledge the job done by the police to move swiftly in arresting the suspect. It is pleasing to learn that even when he tried to evade justice, the police dog unit managed to find him," she said.
Nkonyeni called for the suspect not to be released on bail.
“Justice must be served," she said.
Nkonyeni said the government was very concerned by the killings of innocent school girls.
She said it is important for communities to work closely with the police.
The statement said a memorial service will be held on Friday in honour of the two teenage girls.
The suspect is due back at the Hlanganani Magistrate’s Court in Bulwer on August 11.
