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A cloud of grief hung over the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning, where a heartbroken father spoke publicly for the first time about the violent loss of his daughter, 25-year-old Entle Manzi.
Her father, Bhekisizwe Manzi, stood outside the courtroom visibly shaken, describing a pain he says will never fade. “I will never be the same again,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion. “She was supposed to celebrate her 26th birthday this Friday.”
Entle’s life was tragically cut short over the weekend in Parow Valley, where she was fatally stabbed in an incident that police have since classified as murder. The shocking nature of her death has left her family reeling, as they gathered at court to witness the first appearance of the man accused of killing her.
According to her father, Entle was the eldest of three siblings, a young woman with promise and a future that was abruptly taken away. He spoke candidly about the constant fear many parents carry in a country grappling with violence, admitting he never imagined such tragedy would strike his own family.
“As a father raising daughters, I have always worried about the level of violence in South Africa,” he said. “But I never thought I would one day face this reality myself.”
The devastating news reached the family in the early hours of Monday morning. Manzi recounted receiving a late-night phone call from an agent attempting to confirm his relationship to his daughter after her work identification tag had been found.
“I got a call around midnight,” he explained. “The person said they had found her work tag and needed to verify who I was. They told me to expect a call from a detective, and that’s when everything changed.”
Further revelations have deepened the family’s anguish. Entle had reportedly been in a relationship with the accused, 24-year-old Mihlali Dlepu, since 2021. He was not a stranger to the family, a fact that has made the loss even more difficult to process.
“That young man has destroyed our entire family,” Manzi said. “This pain is something we will carry for the rest of our lives.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed that a murder case was opened following the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, March 30.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation,” Twigg said. “We can confirm that a 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder.”
The accused appeared briefly in court on Wednesday, where proceedings were postponed to Thursday, April 2, to allow for a formal bail application.
As the legal process begins to unfold, the Manzi family says they are holding onto hope that justice will be served. For them, the court proceedings represent not just a legal battle, but a search for accountability in the wake of an unimaginable loss.
For now, they are left mourning a daughter, a sister, and a life that ended far too soon.
