HON. MEC MBALI SHINGA EXTENDS CONDOLENCES AND SUPPORT TO BEREAVED FAMILIES IN UGU DISTRICT

By Sifiso Xulu and Thuba Vilane

• DSD deployed professional social workers to provide psychosocial support and assess the needs of the bereaved Cele family following a quadruple murder.
• MEC Mbali Shinga visited affected families in uMzumbe to extend condolences and reaffirm government support.
• The Department reiterated the importance of community-government collaboration in healing, social cohesion and violence prevention.

The community of KwaDweshula in Ward 1 of uMzumbe Local Municipality remains in deep mourning following a tragic home invasion that occurred on 31 December 2025, resulting in the loss of four lives from the Cele family. The incident has left the family and the broader Umzumbe community grappling with profound grief and shock, underscoring the devastating impact of violent crime on families and communities.
In response to the tragedy, the Department of Social Development (DSD) acted swiftly by deploying a team of professional social workers to the Cele household. The team is providing psychosocial support, including trauma counselling and emotional assistance, while also conducting a comprehensive household assessment to determine the family’s immediate and longer-term support needs.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development, Ms Mbali Shinga, visited the bereaved Cele family on Monday, 5 January 2026, to personally convey her condolences and reaffirm the government’s commitment to supporting families affected by violence. During the visit, the MEC assured the family that DSD would continue to provide necessary support during this difficult period.
MEC Shinga strongly condemned the violent act, describing it as senseless and deeply distressing. She extended her sympathies to both the Cele family and the wider Umzumbe community, acknowledging the collective trauma resulting from the incident.
“This tragedy has deeply affected the family and the community at large. As government, we share in their pain and remain committed to ensuring that they receive the necessary support and care during this period of mourning,” said MEC Shinga.
The MEC emphasised the importance of collaboration between government, communities and law enforcement agencies in promoting social cohesion, healing and restoring a sense of safety and dignity within affected communities.
As part of her outreach in the uGu District, MEC Shinga also visited the Mteshane family in the Squngeni area of uMzumbe Local Municipality following another tragic incident in which two cousins were fatally shot on Saturday, 2 January 2026. The visit further demonstrated the Department’s commitment to standing with families and communities impacted by violence and loss.