Bad weather delays return of Zimbabwean mother and daughters’ bodies from UK
· The South African
The Khumalo family in Zimbabwe’s Bulawayo has been forced to endure another painful wait after the bodies of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters, Natalie and Nala, failed to arrive in Zimbabwe on Sunday as expected.
Visit freshyourfeel.com for more information.
This followed bad weather that disrupted their journey from the United Kingdom.
Instead of preparing to receive their loved ones in Bulawayo, relatives were informed that the flight carrying the bodies had been delayed after adverse weather prevented the aircraft from landing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The plane was diverted to Djibouti, causing the bodies to miss their connecting Ethiopian Airlines flight to Zimbabwe.
The unexpected setback means the bodies are now expected to arrive at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare on Monday before being transported by road to Bulawayo ahead of Tuesday’s funeral.
Bad weather delays bodies on journey from the UK
Speaking to The Chronicle, family spokesperson Leon Leroy Khumalo confirmed that severe weather in Ethiopia caused the delay.
“The flight from the United Kingdom failed to land in Addis Ababa because of bad weather. It had to divert to Djibouti and because of that they missed the connecting flight from Addis Ababa to Bulawayo,” he said.
Relatives had gathered in anticipation of the bodies’ arrival on Sunday, only to learn around midday that they would not be on the scheduled flight to Bulawayo.
Despite the disappointment, Khumalo said the repatriation process was back on track and the family now expects the bodies to arrive in Bulawayo on Monday.
Family faces another heartbreaking wait
The delay added to the anguish of a family that has spent weeks navigating the complex process of repatriating Nothabo and her daughters from the United Kingdom.
Although Sunday’s expected arrival had offered hope that the family could finally begin saying goodbye, they instead spent another night waiting for their loved ones to complete the final leg of their journey home.
Mr Khumalo said the funeral programme would proceed as planned despite the delay.
“We expect the bodies to arrive in Bulawayo on Monday. They will lie in state at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour before the burial on Tuesday,” he said.
Bulawayo community prepares to receive the bodies
Even as the repatriation was delayed, the spirit of solidarity in Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb remained unwavering.
Residents continued gathering at the Khumalo family home for evening prayer meetings, offering comfort and support to the bereaved family.
The bodies are expected to briefly pass through the family home in Gwabalanda before a funeral service at the Brethren in Christ Church in Lobengula.
Nothabo and her daughters will then be laid to rest side by side at Old Luveve Cemetery on Tuesday.
Khumalo said bringing Nothabo and her daughters home marks an important step towards giving the family closure after weeks of mourning and logistical arrangements involving authorities in Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom.
Last week, the family welcomed the approval by British authorities to repatriate Natalie and Nala, who were born in the United Kingdom, allowing them to be buried alongside their mother in Zimbabwe.
Nothabo, 42, and her daughters were found dead at their home in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, on 3 July in a case that shocked both Zimbabweans and the wider British community.
Her husband and the children’s father, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, a Zimbabwean-born British citizen, was later arrested in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He remains in custody as United Kingdom authorities pursue his extradition to face three counts of murder.