The community of Protea Glen, Johannesburg, is mourning the tragic loss of five-year-old Keeya Mbulawa, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a horrific kidnapping attempt.
Keeya Mbulawa abduction ends in horror for her Protea Glen family
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The young girl’s ordeal began on Monday, 15 January 2024, when she was reportedly abducted from her home.
Keeya was playing with other children when Nonhle Matsebula, a tenant living in the same yard. and now the prime suspect allegedly abducted her.
The child was found unconscious and with her hands and feet tied in a pink suitcase, with a sock stuffed in her mouth, according to eyewitness accounts.
After a desperate search by her mother, Keeya was discovered lifeless and rushed to the hospital in a coma.
Family members, including Keeya’s grandfather Jessias Sereongwane, expressed their deep sorrow and shock at the child’s death, stating,
“We are still waiting for the post-mortem, but we are sad, and it is painful. The child didn’t deserve what she went through.”
Keeya was remembered fondly as the “entertainer of the family,” known for her love of singing and dancing.
Search for Nonhle Matsebula continues
The suspect, Matsebula, is reportedly on the run, having fled the scene in a taxi.
The incident has caused an uproar in the community, with residents and local leaders calling for justice and demanding answers.
Ward councillor Bawinile Magwaza appealed for calm, urging the community not to take the law into their own hands.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the number of kidnappings reported in the country had seen a substantial increase of 133% from 2010/2011 to 2019/20.
In the first six months of 2022 alone, an average of 1 143 kidnappings per month were reported, doubling the monthly average in 2021.
The death of Keeya Mbulawa not only leaves a family and community in grief but also reignites the fear and concern about child safety in South Africa.
This sentiment echoes the panic that swept the nation following the disappearance of Lindokuhle Ntsetshe, a young boy who went missing on his first day of school in Durban and was fortunately found a day later.