A mother’s worst nightmare

He was her miracle child, the baby a Motherwell woman had yearned to have, but on the same day she excitedly enrolled him at a creche for 2025, the 18-month-old boy was shot dead in his aunt’s arms.

Devastated mother Athuxolo Mdingi, 26, says her life is in ruins.

The alleged shooter appeared in court on Thursday after handing himself over to the police.

Mdingi was too distraught to go to court and face her little boy’s alleged killer and waited anxiously at home for an update.

Luhlelunje Mdingi was cradled in his 17-year-old aunt’s arms when a stray bullet tore into his tiny frame on Tuesday.

In sheer panic, the young aunt rushed home with the boy bleeding in her arms to find his mother.

Barefoot and frantic, Mdingi then ran through the streets towards the Motherwell Health Centre, desperate to save her son’s life.

A kind-hearted taxi driver stopped and offered them a lift.

Inside the taxi, she held her son tightly against her chest, screaming out: “Fight, Luhle, fight! God, where are you?”

By that time blood was seeping from his arm, nose and mouth.

When they finally reached the clinic after what felt like hours, Luhlelunje was already dead, his young life snatched from him just before Christmas.

Mandla Menze handed himself over to the police on Wednesday, accompanied by his lawyer. 

He was arrested on a charge of murder.

Eyewitnesses to the frightening ordeal said Menze was allegedly seen with a firearm moments before a shot went off.

During a brief appearance in the the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, his case was postponed to December 11 for a formal bail application.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the investigation was ongoing.

“Motherwell police responded to a complaint of a murder from the Motherwell Health Centre,” Janse van Rensburg said.

“On arrival, they were informed that an 18-month-old child had died due to a gunshot wound.

“The members were then informed that a family member of the deceased had been walking in Sakhwatzha Street, NU8, Motherwell, when she noticed the suspect with a firearm.

“It is unclear what happened, but a shot was fired, and the [relative] noticed that Luhlelunje was bleeding.

“He was rushed to the medical centre but had died due to the gunshot wound.”

Mdingi sobbed as she spoke at her modest home on Thursday morning.

“Luhle was so small. When he [the alleged shooter] saw the child, why did he not put the gun away?

“What he clearly didn’t realise was that behind every person who dies is a mother, the person who raised that child.

“My life is now totally ruined. I’ve been sick, I haven’t slept since Tuesday and I can’t eat.

“I can’t hold food down. I had to go to the doctor today [Thursday].

“It feels like my body is shutting down. He must have been in so much pain and so scared,” she said.

Mdingi said Tuesday was a nightmare she never wanted to relive.

She said it started off as a happy day as she and Luhlelunje had visited what would have been his new creche next year. She had even paid the deposit.

Now the dream of packing his school bag and seeing him make new friends has been taken from her.

“Luhle was full of kisses that day. He told me in isiXhosa: ‘Mama, I want to play with the friends.’ My Luhle loved that creche.

“He was jumping up and down and couldn’t wait to make new friends.

“He always gave me the sweetest hugs and kisses. He was my firstborn, so getting him into that creche was a big deal for us.

“When we came back home, my sister took him to a corner shop.

“It was not even two minutes later and she was running back, crying, holding my baby full of blood.

“He wasn’t crying, just sleeping through the pain. I picked him up. I had no shoes on so I ran barefoot as fast as I could through the streets.”

She said a good Samaritan in the form of a taxi driver then came to her aid.

“A taxi driver saw us and offered us a lift. Luhle was in my arms. He was still breathing but I was screaming inside.

“I was shouting for God to intervene and for Luhle to fight.

“We reached the clinic but it was too late. A few minutes, that’s all it took, and he was gone, just like that.”

She said she chose not to attend Menzi’s first court appearance as she was still too weak and not ready to face him.

“I have so much anger inside me. I am not ready to face him.

“I am mourning, I am grieving. No-one prepared me for losing a child.

“I prayed for this child and he finally arrived on June 14 2023. He died 18 months later.

“That’s not fair. How is that fair?

“What did I do to deserve this? Was I a bad mother? I don’t think so.

“I loved Luhle with everything I have. I did everything for him.”

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