UMhlanga call-centre worker, Anele Mzila, 23, from uMgababa, whose decomposed body was found under the bed of her boyfriend in a rented property in KwaMashu last week.
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A devastated south coast family in uMgababa are demanding justice after the badly decomposed body of a 23-year-old woman was discovered hidden under the bed of her boyfriend and colleague.
Anele Mzila, who worked at a call centre in uMhlanga, north of Durban, was found dead last week at a rental property in KwaMashu where her boyfriend, Nkululeko Yuda, 35, resided.
Yuda, an eSwatini national, has since been arrested and has made his first appearance in the Ntuzuma Magistrates Court.
A close friend of Mzila, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the couple worked together at the same call centre, adding that Yuda is the only one who knows the truth about what transpired.
"Anele was originally from uMgababa but rented a place in N-Section, KwaMashu, to be closer to transport for work. She was found under her boyfriend’s bed after she had gone to stay with him," the friend said.
According to the friend, neighbours reported seeing Mzila arrive at the property, but she was never seen leaving alive.
"What is bizarre is that the boyfriend eventually screamed and called a neighbour into the room, asking him to look at his girlfriend dead under the bed. He claimed to the neighbour, and later to the police, that he had no idea what had happened to her," the friend added.
Two days after the state forensic pathology services removed Mzila’s remains, police returned to the property and placed Yuda under arrest. The friend noted that the deceased bore visible marks on her neck, pointing to manual strangulation.
The deceased's sister, Nonkululeko Mzila, said the family is struggling to come to terms with the horrific tragedy. She revealed that her sister’s behaviour had changed significantly in the weeks leading up to her death, noting she appeared emotionally distressed but guarded.
"When I questioned her, she was reluctant to talk. Eventually, she told me that they had broken up. I didn't press further because I didn't want to interfere in their relationship, but I can see now that she was just trying to shield me from the truth," Nonkululeko said.
The family has been deeply traumatised by the gruesome state in which Mzila's body was discovered. It is alleged that her remains had been left under the bed for four days before being uncovered.
Their grieving mother faced the harrowing task of identifying her daughter through distinct bodily marks due to the advanced stage of decomposition.
"My mother even had to look for other physical signs on her body just to confirm it was really her. The most shocking part was that there was no hair left on her head, almost as if she had been severely burned," Nonkululeko said.
"We want justice and the absolute truth, because there is something deeply suspicious about the circumstances of her death. This has shattered our family."
The KwaZulu-Natal provincial police had not responded to media queries at the time of publication.
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