The deaths of Zandile Tshuma, 42, and her daughters Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, at their home in Britain on 6 July have reignited concerns over high rates of femicide in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The family's bodies were repatriated from England for burial last week at Luveve cemetery in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Bedfordshire police have stated that work is underway to return a British-Zimbabwean man from South Africa to the UK in connection with the murders. The case has drawn significant attention in Zimbabwe and South Africa, with commentators expressing shock that a successful woman abroad appeared vulnerable to familial violence.
Judith Ncube, Zimbabwe's Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, expressed deep concern, noting that southern Matabeleland, bordering Bulawayo, has the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the country. She has called for an urgent debate on domestic violence and suggested launching home-care programmes involving community elders to discuss family problems.
According to government statistics, nearly 40% of Zimbabwean women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence. Organisations like Musasa reported over 30,000 gender-based violence incidents in 2024, while police recorded nearly 19,000 cases. The UN Population Fund representative in Zimbabwe, Miranda Tabifor, urged the government to invest more in addressing domestic violence, citing potential losses of up to 3.8% of the country's $57bn GDP if the issue remains unaddressed.