Melissa Sibanda, left, and pharmacist Nomzila Bayabonga Madinane,right, were shot dead at her newly opened pharmacy in KwaNyuswa, west of Durban, on Tuesday after three unknown gunmen armed with rifles and a pistol stormed the business and opened fire. A security guard later succumbed to a gunshot wound in hospital, while the two women died at the scene. Madinane will be laid to rest today.
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The young pharmacist who was shot dead on Tuesday in KwaNyuswa, outside Bothas Hill in Durban’s outer west, will be laid to rest today at her rural home in Denny Dalton near the northern KwaZulu-Natal town of Ulundi.
Nomzila Bayabonga Madinane, 27, was killed along with her cashier, Melissa Sibanda, at her new pharmacy, Nomuzi Pharmacy, by three unknown gunmen armed with rifles and a pistol. The security guard who tried to fight back was also shot in the head and died later in the hospital.
Ward councillor Linda Mchunu said community members and neighbouring businesses were left traumatised by the incident.
“We visited the scene shortly after the shooting. Staff members from a supermarket next to the pharmacy were visibly shaken. They are extremely shocked because this is the first time something like this has happened in this area,” said Mchunu.
He described the crime as unprecedented in the community.
Mchunu said he arrived while the bodies were being collected from the scene, describing it as deeply traumatic, with some people openly weeping.
“I do not know whether the deceased were originally from KwaNyuswa, but the community is devastated,” he said.
Madinane had opened the pharmacy just seven days before the fatal shooting. The business, located in the Valley of 1000 Hills, was intended to provide residents with easier access to pharmaceutical services closer to home. She also operated another branch in Overport, Durban.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that iNtshanga police were investigating three counts of murder following the attack.
“Two women died instantly at the scene, while a security officer later succumbed to a gunshot wound in hospital,” said Netshiunda.
He added that, at this stage, investigators are treating the case solely as murder because nothing appears to have been stolen during the attack.
“Three armed suspects stormed the business carrying two rifles and a pistol. The motive for the attack remains unknown at this stage,” he said.
Tributes have since poured in on social media from people who knew Madinane, describing her as a hardworking and driven woman committed to serving her community.
Some social media users also alleged that Madinane had obtained a protection order against a former lover and had expressed fears for her safety, allegedly even considering switching vehicles with a sibling. Police have not confirmed those claims.
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