Family in quest to find late son’s missing items

Nokuzola Mji in pain after she lost her son and all his valuables to a known lady in Gugulethu.

The family of Zama Tshomela, a Gugulethu man who “mysteriously” died at the Mitchell’s Plain Hospital on Saturday May 12 ,is demanding answers about his assets.

The 36-year-old had been staying alone in NY72, and the family believes a woman who claimed to be his “minder” has the answers.

Mr Tshomela had been in a wheelchair since he was involved in a car accident many years ago.

And even though he had been staying alone, his car and money from his bank account and life policies have all gone missing.

The family now wants the community and the law to help them to get to the bottom of the matter.

They claimed the woman, whose name is known to Vukani, convinced Mr Tshomela to withdraw his provident fund money.

His traumatised mother, Nokuzola Mji, said they want a full investigation into the matter.

She said after she received a call from her husband informing her that their son had died, she discovered that a woman was about to bury him. “This woman and her family have shown no remorse.

Every day I shed tears when I think about this,” said Ms Mji.

“To see your son’s assets go to a stranger just like that is not good. She is keeping his car, clothes and identity document. Till today we cannot come to terms with the loss of our child. It was even difficult to hold a vigil at his house.

She locked us out until the community of NY 72 rose up and forcibly opened the house. She had no sympathy.”

To add salt to their wounds, the grieving mum struggled to cover the costs of her son’s funeral on Saturday May 27, despite him having had money. “The bank statements show how the money was withdrawn from different ATMs just after he passed away,” she said.

Ms Mji claimed they sought help from Gugulethu police, who were not able to help them.

But police spokesperson Constable Sindisiwe Ngqele said if the man was really not married and all his valuables were taken by someone else, the family could open a case.

“I cannot confirm or deny that she was turned away or not taken seriously. If that happened, it was wrong of that police officer.

“But she can come forward again, we will attend to her,” she said.

* Vukani asked the legal clinics at UWC and UCT for their opinion on the matter, but by the time this edition went to print, they had not responded.