Emalahleni – The community is in mourning after two women died from severe burn injuries following an attack that has triggered national outrage. The suspect is believed to be the boyfriend of one of the victims and the brother of the other.
Mbali Hill, the suspect’s sister, died on Friday, 01 August, and two days later, on Sunday, 03 August, Nompumelelo Gamede, the suspect’s partner also died in hospital.
“We are shattered,” said Shirley Mlanjeni, the mother of Gamede. “They were both so full of life, with so many dreams. This is a loss we will never recover from.”
The accused, Mpumelelo Hill, made his first court appearance on 29 July, but the magistrate postponed proceedings to review the case before considering bail.
Hill remains in police custody, with his next hearing scheduled for Thursday, 07 August.
The case has reignited calls for more severe penalties against perpetrators of gender-based violence crimes and renewed public demands for greater support and protection for women in vulnerable situations.
While police have not yet confirmed the motive, they stated that they are working closely with both families and community leaders to ensure transparency and provide support during this difficult time.
A joint funeral service is scheduled for Saturday. Although details are still being finalised, members of the community and gender-based violence advocacy groups are expected to attend in solidarity.
The story was updated at 9:47am on 07 August 2025. we erroneously stated Nompumelelo’s surname as Gumede instead of Gamede.
