By Naledi Nyoni
BULAWAYO — Family of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters, who were allegedly murdered in the United Kingdom last month, has announced they will be buried in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Bodies of Nothabo, 42, Natalie, 15, and Nala, 5, arrived in Harare early Monday aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight after bad weather in Addis Ababa delayed their repatriation from Saturday.
Relatives were expected to transfer the bodies to Bulawayo by road later on Monday.
Nothabo and her daughters were found dead at their home in Bedford, England, on July 6.
An inquest opened last Tuesday heard all three died from head injuries.
Police allege Nothabo’s husband, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 42, killed the family before fleeing to South Africa.
He was arrested in Johannesburg on July 10 and is awaiting extradition to the United Kingdom, where detectives intend to charge him with three counts of murder.
In a statement, the family said a funeral service would be held at Lobengula Brethren in Christ Church on Tuesday morning before burial at Luveve Cemetery.
“This has been an unbearably painful journey for our family.
“We sincerely thank everyone who has stood with us throughout this difficult time. Your prayers, messages, visits, kindness and unwavering support have carried us through some of our darkest moments,” the family said.
More than 500 mourners attended a memorial service at Bedford’s Corn Exchange on Friday after it was moved from St James Church in Biddenham to accommodate the large turnout.
Nala’s class teacher, Nikki Woodworth, remembered the five-year-old for her “legendary hugs.”
Michelle Ncube, Nothabo’s cousin, said: “Words cannot begin to describe the depth of our loss.
“She blessed us with her dry wit, her intelligence and her love of gardening. She didn’t just nurture flowers — she nurtured people.”
Bedford Girls’ School headmistress Gemma Gibson described Natalie as a kind and thoughtful pupil whose smile reflected “the beautiful person she was.”
Natalie represented the school 107 times in lacrosse, tennis, hockey and other sports.
“She will forever be loved and remembered by all of us at Bedford Girls’ School,” Gibson said.
Jabu Ncube, who helped organise the memorial service and had known Nothabo for 20 years after meeting her at university, urged mourners to remember the three “as the angels that they are.”
A colleague from London-based Forensic Risk Alliance said Nothabo would be remembered for her “exceptional professionalism, sharp intelligence and passion for her work, with kindness.”
