The death of 26-year-old Yanga Lisa Mathebula has sparked grief, anger and a public demand for justice, after community members turned to social media to identify her family and question how her body was handled following her death in Gauteng.
Mathebula, originally from Mayflower in Mpumalanga, died on 3 January 2026 while staying at a house in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni. Her photograph and voice notes circulated widely on TikTok and other social media platforms earlier this week as residents appealed for help in locating her relatives and understanding the circumstances surrounding her death.
In one viral video, a woman who had been with Mathebula at the time of her death said paramedics declared her dead at the scene. She alleged that despite visible injuries, including a stab wound and a completed J88 medical form indicating prior injuries, police left the body after informing the community that the death was due to natural causes.
“She gave me money and asked me to buy a mat for her. When I came back, she was dead,” the woman said in the video. “We called the police because she had a stab wound and a J88 showing she was injured. But police left her body. They told me to pay for the mortuary, and at that time I did not even know her family. I only knew that she was from Mayflower.”
The video fuelled public outrage, with community members demanding accountability and clarity, while others helped trace Mathebula’s family.
On Thursday, the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga issued a statement clarifying the matter and confirming that Mathebula’s family has since been located.
According to police, Mathebula had been stabbed on 29 December 2025 by her uncle, identified as Ndumiso Phillip Ndlovu, also known as Nkosi, aged 29. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said the victim sought medical attention following the stabbing and was later discharged from hospital.
“A case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was opened and was actively being investigated by SAPS members in Mayflower,” Mdhluli said.
While the case was still under investigation, Mathebula travelled to Gauteng, where she later died under circumstances that are now the subject of a postmortem examination scheduled for Friday, 9 January 2026.
As social media pressure mounted, detectives from Mayflower acted swiftly, tracing and arresting the suspect on Tuesday, 6 January 2026. He appeared in court the following day and remains in custody. The case has been postponed to 2 March 2026.
Mdhluli emphasised that investigations are ongoing and that all necessary evidence will be pursued to establish the full circumstances surrounding Mathebula’s death.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, commended the officers involved in the investigation and urged the public to allow police to do their work.
“We urge members of the public to allow the police to conduct their duties effectively without interference. The integrity of the investigation is our utmost priority,” Mkhwanazi said.
For many who shared Mathebula’s image online, the case has highlighted concerns about violence against women, the treatment of victims, and the role of communities in seeking justice when answers seem slow to come.
As her family prepares to lay her to rest, questions remain about how a young woman seeking safety and healing after an assault ended up losing her life far from home, and whether earlier interventions could have changed the outcome.
