Location: South Africa – Disability Day of Mourning

Khomotso Mose

Name: Khomotso Mose.
Died: May 3, 2024.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Decapitated.
Location: Leshikishiki, Limpopo, South Africa.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Khomotso was found decapitated near a local tavern. His mother was arrested on suspicion of having killed him.

Case Status:
Stephina Sefekwane Chuene (Mother), charged with murder.

Sources:
“This is insane”: Woman arrested over gruesome murder wheelchair-bound son
Limpopo mother up for murder of wheelchair-bound son
Mother arrested after disabled son found with his head chopped off
Limpopo mother arrested for son’s gruesome murder
Woman arrested for ‘decapitating’ her wheelchair-bound son to apply for bail
Mum ‘chops off’ son’s head: Family speaks!
Mother who allegedly cut her disabled son’s head off remains in custody

10-month-old girl

No Photo Name Unknown.
Died: August 21, 2023.
Age at death: 10 months.
Cause of death: Unspecified; homicide.
Location: Giyani, Limpopo, South Africa.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
This baby’s mother claimed that she had died of natural causes; but neighbors became suspicious, the child’s body was found buried in a shallow grave, and her mother was arrested for murder.

Case Status:
Her mother, charged with murder and obstruction of justice.

Sources:
Mother arrested after death of disabled baby
Heartless mother in the dock for murder of 10-month-old baby
Limpopo woman arrested for allegedly murdering her disabled daughter

Nosipho Mfana

No Photo Name: Nosipho Mfana.
Died: April 30, 2022.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Prosecutors say that Nosipho, who had been adopted at age 13 because her own mother was also intellectually disabled, was sleeping in her home when two men forced open the door and shot her 15 times, killing her. Police became suspicious because the men had used a flashlight to identify and target Nosipho specifically, hurting no one else and stealing nothing; and Nosipho’s father had taken out a large life insurance policy on her. After hearing testimony from one of the alleged hitmen, they believe that Nosipho’s father and his nephew had conspired with two other men to kill her for the insurance payout.

Case Status:
Mboneleli Msila (Adoptive father), charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
Mbulelo Jack (Adoptive father’s nephew), arrested.
Lungisile Lucas, arrested.
Monde Tshemese, arrested.

Sources:
Plett father ‘masterminded’ hit on disabled daughter for R200 000 life policy
Man arrested for hiring hitman to kill crippled adoptive child
Plett man allegedly arranged hit on disabled adopted daughter

Kyle Tiyo

Name: Kyle Tiyo.
Died: September 22, 2021.
Age at death: 10 months.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Bethelsdorp, South Africa.
Disability: Blind.

Details:
Kyle’s father, who his mother says had never accepted him ever since he learned Kyle had been born disabled, allegedly took him from his mother for the night, and when he gave the boy back, Kyle was limp and bruised all over. Kyle died from his injuries in the hospital.

Case Status:
Jason Mandeka (Father), charged with murder.

Sources:
Father of murdered blind baby appears in court
Baby’s murder, mother’s agony
Mother narrates pain about how her baby daddy brutally beat up her disabled baby – Opera News

28-year-old woman

No Photo
Name Unknown.
Died: June 3, 2020.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Trauma.
Location: Smuts Ngonyama Informal Settlement, Butterworth, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
While her caregiver was away, this 28-year-old woman’s brother allegedly killed her, leaving her under a blanket with “upper body injuries”. Medics were called but declared her dead at the scene.

Case status:
Her brother, age 24, charged with murder.

Source:
Disabled woman murdered in EC – brother arrested
Media Statement, South African Police Service, Office of the Provincial Commissioner Eastern Cape

Henko Naudé

Name: Henko Naudé.
Died: January 16, 2020.
Age at death: 17.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Secunda, South Africa.
Disability: Muscular dystrophy.

Other victims: Lizelle Naudé, 52; Tina Naudé, 83.

Details:
When 17-year-old Henko researched the symptoms of his disability, his father got angry. He shot Henko, his mother, and his grandmother in their beds and then killed himself.

Henko was a gifted high school student and an excellent chess player.

Case status:
André Naudé (Father), deceased.

Source:
Secunda family murder: Dad couldn’t cope with son’s illness

Sbusiso Mhlanga

No Photo Name: Sbusiso Quin Mhlanga.
Died: July 28, 2019 (Body found); missing November 20, 2014.
Age at death: Adult.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Disability: Unspecified, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sbusiso lived with his younger brother, who allegedly murdered him for “not using the correct dish to relieve himself”. Police say he buried his brother’s body, dumped his wheelchair in the river, and collected his brother’s disability pension for the next few years.

Case status:
His brother, charged with murder, theft, and obstruction of justice.

Source:
Brother arrested for killing his sibling

Dhunalutchmee Naidoo

Name: Dhunalutchmee Naidoo.
Died: April 8, 2019.
Age at death: 69.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Durban, South Africa.
Disability: “An unknown disease”; bedbound.

Details:
When Dhunalutchmee’s husband failed to suffocate her with a pillow, he slit her throat with a kitchen knife instead. He said he had done it because she was a large woman and he had difficulty picking her up to give her a bath.

Case status:
Dickson Naidoo (Husband), pleaded guilty to murder, given a 5-year suspended sentence.

Source:
WATCH: Phoenix man who slit bedridden’s wife throat escapes jail time | The Post
Man kills ‘large’, bedridden wife as he’s unable to care for her anymore
Why I slit my bedridden wife’s throat
Durban man confesses to murdering his bedridden wife
Phoenix man due in court for allegedly slitting woman’s throat
Wife murderer confesses he was ‘fed up’
‘My bedridden wife pleaded with me to kill her’

5-year-old girl

Name Unknown.
Died: March 10, 2019.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Kwadela, Davel, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
This five-year-old girl’s abusive parents claimed she had fallen out of bed; but her body showed signs that she had been severely abused, and her parents were convicted of her murder.

Case status:
Bheki Hlophe (Mother), convicted of murder.
Sibongile Shongwe (Father), convicted of murder.

Source:
They were arrested for the death of their five-year-old daughter at their home in Kwadela, Davel on 10 March
Father and girlfriend convicted of five-year-old’s murder
Ouers in hof oor dogter se dood

Frans Pitjeng

No Photo Name: Frans Thille Pitjeng.
Died: April 28, 2018.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Atteridgeville, South Africa.
Disability: Mental disability, epilepsy.

Details:
Frans was killed and dismembered by his father.

Case status:
Lazarus Pitjeng (Father), charged with murder, died in jail before start of trial.

Source:
Dad accused of killing mentally disabled son for muti dies in jail
‘Decent’ man accused of chopping up son
71 year old Atteridgeville man accused of his son’s murder appeared in court