This archive report was first published on 4 September 2021.
On a fateful day in Phoenix, South Africa, a senseless tragedy unfolded, leaving a community in shock. The incident began with a reported attack on two men, later identified as cousins Mlondi and Delani, who were seen alive by a local resident.
According to eyewitnesses, the two men were left for dead on the side of the road after receiving brief treatment from a private ambulance service. The next day, a mortuary van arrived to collect their bodies, which had been burned beyond recognition.
Thulani Dube, a relative of the victims, expressed outrage and sadness over the senseless killings, stating that they did not deserve to be killed, even if they had been looting. The community is still grappling with the aftermath of the tragedy and the implications it holds for their country.
At the cousins' funeral, loved ones gathered to mourn their loss and reflect on the bright times they shared with Mlondi and Delani. Mlondi, a 28-year-old father of two, had just celebrated his first wedding anniversary, while Delani, 41, a globe-trotting dance instructor, was preparing for a trip to Russia.
As the community struggles to make sense of the tragedy, one relative's haunting words echo through the streets: 'I can't sleep, thinking about what I saw inside the mortuary,' said Mr. Dube, who went to identify their bodies. 'Sometimes, the smell fills my nostrils.'
