A shocked woman found her elderly mother’s naked body burning on the bedroom floor.
It is suspected that Constance Ndlebe, 78, was raped, murdered and set alight at her home in Kusela Street in Khayelitsha.
Her daughter Nondumiso, 47, says she last saw her mom on Friday evening and when she visited her the next morning, she made the gruesome discovery.
“I went there with my sister, it was around 8am that morning and when I knocked on the door, she didn’t respond,” says Nondumiso.
“I went around to the kitchen door and I was shocked to see that the door was broken.
“I went in through the broken part of the door and I could smell something burning and then I checked all the other rooms and when I went to her bedroom, I saw her body on the floor and there was smoke.
“I went to call the neighbours and the police.”
She says her mom’s body was partially burnt.
“She was wrapped in a blanket, which was also burnt, her face and chest also charred.
“She was wearing nothing under the blanket, I think she was raped and the suspect tried to get rid of the evidence by setting her body on fire.”
“The room was full of smoke as if the fire had started that morning.
“I noticed that nothing was taken from the house, so this wasn’t a robbery.”
The heartbroken daughter tells the Daily Voice three weeks ago she noticed that her mother was sick.
“She would come to my house around 5am and tell me she wanted to check how I slept,” says Nondumiso.
“And then I became worried and informed my siblings and we then discussed that we should go and have her checked by the doctor.
“And last Tuesday the doctor confirmed to us that she had dementia.
“We were still deciding on which old age home we were going to take her to, because she didn’t want anyone with her in her house.
“We have always been worried about her staying alone because we feared something might happen.”
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk says a murder case has been opened.
“Lingelethu West police are investigating a murder case after the body of a woman was found by her daughter in her residence in Kusile Street, Lingelethu West, on Saturday.
“Circumstances surrounding her death are under investigation. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.