A 56-YEAR-OLD woman who left home for work and never returned was later found tied up and severely tortured at a house in Samora Machel before dying in hospital from multiple head injuries.
Nomakhwezi Zitha from Delft, had reportedly been house hunting before her disappearance.
According to information shared on social media by a woman who identified herself as Zitha’s daughter, Zitha had allegedly been in contact with a person posing as a housing agent.
She was later allegedly kidnapped and taken to a house in Samora Machel, where she was tied up and tortured.
It is alleged that Zitha was assaulted with a hammer and that money was withdrawn from her bank account while she was being held.
Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that Nyanga police initially registered cases of kidnapping, theft and attempted murder following an operation by members attached to Operation Prosper on 11 September in Thabo Mbeki informal settlement.
Van Wyk said the victim had been kidnapped in Delft and detained against her will at a premises in the area.
“She was found by the members tied up and badly tortured,” he said.
Police later established that an undisclosed amount of money had allegedly been taken from her bank account.
Zitha was transported to hospital for treatment after being found.
A hospital notice was subsequently circulated appealing for her relatives to come forward as staff were attempting to locate her family.
Van Wyk said the case was later changed to murder after Zitha died on 14 September as a result of multiple head injuries.
A suspect was subsequently arrested and appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on the same day.
The case was postponed to 17 September for further investigation.
According to police, the accused faces charges of murder, kidnapping and rape and will remain in custody until a formal bail application is brought.
Police said no further information would be released at this stage due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.
Our Publication reached out to Zitha's family for comment, but the family did not respond by deadline.
