Tragedy struck in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, after 13-year-old Zukhanye Nkabeni was brutally assaulted and killed while visiting a friend’s home on September 26, 2025.
According to police reports, Zukhanye had gone to her friend’s house in Harare when the friend’s mother, along with two other women, allegedly attacked her. The women reportedly beat her on the head with wooden planks, leaving her with severe injuries.
After the assault, Zukhanye’s mother was called to fetch her. On their way to the police station, the teenager suffered a seizure, forcing her mother to rush her to Khayelitsha District Hospital. Despite efforts by doctors, Zukhanye succumbed to her injuries.
Police confirmed that before her death, the young girl was able to give a statement detailing the attack. Investigations are ongoing, and no arrests have yet been made as authorities await the forensic report.
Advocacy group Women For Change condemned the killing, linking it to South Africa’s ongoing crisis of gender-based violence. “We are heartbroken by the loss of yet another beautiful soul. How many more lives must be taken before GBV and femicide are finally declared a National Disaster? Honour her memory by adding your signature,” the group said in a statement.
The incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls for urgent action to protect women and girls from violence in the country.
