Kokstad residents impose night curfew on children after two killings

In Kokstad, South Africa, residents of an informal settlement have imposed a night curfew on children following the tragic killings of two individuals. The decision came after the disappearance and subsequent discovery of the skeletal remains of seven-year-old Lathitha Mtolo in February, and the murder of 27-year-old Okuhle Nkosiyaphansi about a month later.

Community leader Ntobeko Mavuka stated that after these incidents, community leaders have decided that children should not be allowed to go out alone after 6 in the evening, while residents themselves have set the limit at 7 p.m. Mavuka expressed the growing fear and frustration in the community, as parents are increasingly hesitant to take their children to school or allow them to walk to the shop after dark.

The family of Lathitha Mtolo remains devastated by their daughter's loss, with her aunt Sisipho Nto reporting that a suspect was arrested but later released due to insufficient evidence. Nto recounted how Lathitha went missing after school in February, and her body was found several months later, confirming the tragedy through DNA analysis.