Inside Education Reporter
Police in KwaZulu-Natal have launched a manhunt for 29-year-old Sduduzo Mavundla, who is wanted for the attempted murder of his nine-year-old nephew in Chesterville, and have appealed to the public for help in tracing him.
The boy was attacked on 4 January 2024 in the Phola area of Chesterville after going to visit his grandfather, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Monday.
Police said Mavundla allegedly lured the child into nearby bushes on the pretence of buying him snacks, confronted him over a family dispute, and then strangled and stabbed him repeatedly in the face, leaving him unconscious.
The child later regained consciousness, crawled to the roadside and was taken to hospital by passers-by. By that time, police say, Mavundla had allegedly persuaded a family member to open a missing-person case for the boy at Cato Manor police station.
In their statement on Monday, police said Mavundla was arrested “but somehow released on bail”, and did not appear in court.
A warrant for his arrest was issued in September 2024, and officers have been searching for him since.
Police crime statistics show that in the second quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, 315 children were murdered and 490 were victims of attempted murder nationwide – roughly nine children a day caught up in killings or attempted killings.
Civil society group Action Society have said that the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng together account for more than 60% of all child murders in the country.
More than two-thirds of child murder victims are killed by someone they know, such as a parent or relative, said Action Society.
KwaZulu-Natal police have urged anyone with information on Mavundla’s whereabouts to contact Investigating Officer Captain Ndlovu on 082 411 5609 or the SAPS Crime Stop line on 08600 10111.
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