Remembrance service held for mum and two daughters

A remembrance service has been held for a mother and her two children believed to have been murdered in their home.

Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, and her daughters Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found dead in Great Denham, near Bedford, on 6 July, and an inquest which opened into their deaths on Tuesday said they died from head injuries.

Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 45, arrested in Johannesburg on suspicion of murdering his wife and two children, remains in custody in South Africa.

Almost 500 mourners attended the service at Bedford's Corn Exchange, with tributes read out including one from Nala's class teacher, Nikki Woodworth, who said, "her hugs were legendary".

Michelle Ncube, Zandile's cousin, told those gathered: "Words cannot begin to describe the depth of our loss.

"We grieve the loss of the future that have been stolen from them and from us.

"She blessed us with her dry wit, her intelligence.

"She loved gardening. But she didn't just nurture flowers, she nurtured people."

She said Zandile was "completely devoted" to her daughters and that "everything she did was with their future in mind".

Zandile's sister, who lives in Zimbabwe, sent a message which was read out by an aunt.

"She was more than my sister…sharing a bond through a lifetime of memories," she wrote.

"[The loss has] created a void in our hearts and our family that words can hardly describe…life will never be the same without them."

Gemma Gibson, headmistress of Bedford Girls School, where Natalie attended, was also at the service.

"When we think of Natalie as a young girl, we picture her smile first...it simply reflected the beautiful person she was," she said.

"She was a composed and thoughtful pupil who loved learning...but it was her kindness that left the biggest impression."

Natalie represented the school 107 times at lacrosse, tennis and hockey among other sports.

"She will forever be loved and remembered by all of us at Bedford Girls' School," the head teacher said.

The organiser of the service, Jabu Ncube, had known Zandile for 20 years, meeting her at university.

He asked the gathering: "How do you find words to confirm something that is unspeakable?

"How do you find words to comprehend something that is incomprehensible? I have the task of finding the words.

"Remember them as the angels that they are."

Toby was one of several of Zandile's colleagues who worked with her at Forensic Risk Alliance in the forensic data analytics team in London.

He told those who gathered that she showed "exceptional professionalism…sharp intelligence and a passion for her work with kindness".

Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma was arrested on an unlicensed firearms charge in Johannesburg on 10 July, and later appeared in court accused of illegally possessing firearms.

South African courts will decide whether a British extradition request meets the legal requirements for his transfer back to the UK.

The Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorised three murder charges against him.

Statements from the coroner's officers revealed the mother died from "head injuries" while the children's cause of death was listed as "blunt force head injuries".

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be determined.

Funerals for all three members of the family are to take place next week in Zimbabwe.

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