‘We Want Justice’: community unites after double murder

Update

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The murders of two well-known and loved KwaNonqaba residents, Nwabisa Baliso (46) and Luvuyo Mgwelana (43), have left their friends, family and the community at large reeling from heartbreak and shock.

Mgwelana's body was found at home in Mfuleni Street, KwaNonqaba, on Saturday morning, 8 November, and Baliso's body was found with stab wounds to her neck and arms at home in Bantom Street soon after.

Their friends and several community members claim the man arrested in connection with the two murders, Vusumzi Nsodolo (49), was a close friend of Mgwelana and Baliso's boyfriend.

The KwaNonqaba Police arrested Nsodolo on Saturday morning. He was first taken to hospital with wounds to his chest, believed to have been self-inflicted.

On Tuesday morning, 11 November, the day of Nsodolo's first court appearance, scores of KwaNonqaba residents and Mgwelana and Baliso's family, friends and colleagues gathered outside the Mossel Bay Magistrate's Court with posters calling for an end to gender-based violence and justice for Baliso and Mgwelana.

KwaNonqaba resident Andiswa Mlungu calls for justice for Luvuyo Mgwelana and Nwabisa Baliso. Photo: Chelsea Pieterse

Nandipha Bomana, Baliso's friend and colleague, said she was a mother of three who had loved her children very much.

She said Baliso was the breadwinner. "This is very painful for everyone who knew her," she said.

Another friend, Nompilo Cele, said she was angry that another woman, her friend, had been killed. "We are livid and find it extremely difficult to continue with business as usual when one of our own has been brutally murdered," she said.

Cele said they decided to picket outside the court to put pressure on the policymakers to strengthen existing laws and develop more effective intervention strategies.

Phumeza Ngwane tries to hold back the tears during the picket outside the Mossel Bay Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. Photo: Chelsea Pieterse

"We demand that our voices be heard. We are refusing to embrace gender-based violence in our country, which has become normalised. We're here to transform private gender-based violence pain into a public call for justice," she said.

Nandipha Betana, Mgwelana's girlfriend, said they had been dating for two years. "On Saturday, I was at work. It was just past 10:00 when I got a call that Luvuyo was no more," she said.

"He was friendly and bubbly. He liked things to be peaceful and he didn't want anyone to fight. He just wanted everyone to get along."

Luvuyo Mgwelana. Photo: Facebook

Nwabisa Baliso. Photo: Facebook

Betana said Mgwelana and Nsodolo had been friends for about five years.

Nsodolo is facing a charge of murder and a second charge of murder related to domestic violence.

The court heard that he intends to apply for bail, and that the State intends to oppose it. The matter was postponed to 19 November for the formal bail application. Nsodolo will remain in police custody.

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