Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, has appealed to the South African Police Service (SAPS) to establish the circumstances under which a 19year old Zambian student at Monash University in Roodepoort near Johannesburg met his death.
The student, Ponjee Sendwa went missing on October 24 after an argument with friends at a night club where he had gone to attend a function to celebrate Zambia’s Independence Day.
This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka on November 11, 2009 by the Second Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa, Philip Chirwa.
Mr. Mbula said after a ten day search, his father Noel Sendwa, an engineering manager with BP in Lusaka, the student’s body was found at Roodepoort Police mortuary, as an unidentified body on 5th November.
He disclosed that according to Mr. Sendwa, his son’s body had some head injuries which indicated foul play.
Mr. Mbula has since conveyed condolences to the bereaved family, saying it was very important for SAPS to establish the truth so that the family could know exactly what happened to their son.
Mr. Mbula expressed confidence that SAPS will do something about the suspected murder case.
Meanwhile Ponjee’s body was expected to have arrived in Zambia today in readiness for burial in Lusaka tomorrow.
ZANIS
I hope SAPS has forensic, DNA and other tools to help them conduct a thorough investigation. May the family find peace and solace at this time of loss.
Ba Mbula the thing is you guys dont even care to find out who is in the country, ndiye first kuvela kutti imwe munga kambeko pali issues of Zambian nationals. Mu nkaleko serious na investigation iyi…..Ask his friends they know what happened to their buddy, students always hung around in groups. Use this as an opportunity to enlighten these young ones who think they can become stars in foreign lands, with the help of daddy’s pocket. Educate them now, coz Zambians think life is about partying….look where it has gotten him now. Investigate this matter seriously.
Does RB and his missions abroad care for it citzens? I think that they care more about their fame and pockets before they provide a high standard service to all of us. They love our taxpayer money(yes, I pay tax in Zambia) but not us(the people)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Zambian mission here in the US sucks! what a disgrace. its a true reflection of the Comedy of Errors Inc. back home. the staff is mediocre. they have imported there lazy civil service attitude and incompetence to America. we will never progress. Are those chaps the best we can ever find for diplomatic service? i doubt it. you have to be a niece, nephew or girlfriend/ concubine of some dirty a.s.s politician to land the job!
Guys, if you think that these missions are there to bail you out every time you land yourselves in problems then you are mistaken. Mosrt Zambians out there do not even have the most basic health insurance and whenever they fall sick, its the embassy they expect to bail them out. Look at even Agripa Zulu, how could he not have health insurance that could have air lifted his remain back to Gile from the UK as opposed to taxpayers footing the bill? Zambians, and this government of Kansundila Neo Ndithu should stop wasting our money on “Agripas” of this world.
As with Mbula, did you expect him to go round morgues on South Africa seaching for this chap who was sent there by his father? Mbula has done everything within the relm of his sphere of responsibility and there is no need to blame him for anything.
#2, please give us a break by your objectivity. Are you telling me that Mr. Mbula should follow you even to your hanging out places? What sort of care do you want him to show other you guys down that country reporting to the Mission and registering yourselves. Zambian Embassies and High Commissions are always blamed for inadequacies that are often caused by Zambian Citizens in foreign countries. As #6 says, what did you expect Mr Mbula to do? While i regret the death of this Zambian, i also want to appeal to Zambians out there to register with Zambian Missions. It is the immediate assistance Missions can perovide.
May his young innocent soul rest in peace. My sincere condolences to his family. I feel their grief.
#6 & #7….as you can see your flags say you are a million miles away from SA, and it is possible you can not comprehend the intricate matters, that we as simple Zambians deal with in some of these diplomatic missions in Africa. Speaking after a fact, does not necessarily mean you are working, a mission such as that of Mbula’s should be pragmatic, and more involved, especially that the majority of the Zambians flocking into the country are students. We not asking you to follow us to the clubs, we asking you to show your face to students, and encourage some form of interaction with students in these varsities, and ensure that you create some awareness. People come and go without any recognistion at the embassy, which shouldnt be the case. I understand your cry Sakala.
number 7 Edward I believe you wanted to use the word SUBJECTIVITY instead of objectivity. The meaning of what you have said fits well with subjectivity.
Filachitika everywhere ifya so, its got nothing to do with politics brothers and sisters…M.H.S.R.I.P
#4 dont lie and be careful with what you say. I have someone who has got the job on merit and they deserve it. I was there at I saw how hard people work there at least that embassy. You re the same people that rush there when you re in trouble and you re bailed out and you say nasty things about them, may be you are even there illegally, watch out!
The police are caring out there investigation as to what , how and who did it, so unless this is done, we will not know the truth. RIP.
This is a great loss. My advice to people living in foreign countries is to familiarize yourselves with the way of life in those countries instead of importing your lifestyles with you. SA is a lovely country but can be very dangerous for someone just off the boat. MHSRIP.
#4 watch your mouth…ok?
mulekeni umwaiche #4 alelanda ifishinka – chamikalipa shani ba #12 na 15? naimwebene watch out ba mumbwe
#4 is spot on. I’ve lived in England and South Africa and both times friends who were sponsored by the GRZ were not even helped and those are not even illegals. I think our embassies need to do a better job. I think most of the people working at them don’t even know what they are supposed to do. Good on Mbula for saying something. Maybe there is a change in our embassy in SA 😮