21-year-old Bulawayo man dies by suicide after return from South Africa

A 21-year-old man from Gwabalanda, Bulawayo, who had recently been repatriated from South Africa, took his own life after repeatedly telling relatives that life had become very difficult since his return.

A relative told the Chronicle he had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol and would often come home in the middle of the night heavily intoxicated.

“His untimely death is absolutely heartbreaking and one of the worst things I have seen in my life,” she said.

“Before he hanged himself, he told some of us that since coming back home from South Africa, life was getting very difficult for him and the only way out was to commit suicide.

“Of course, some of us thought he was joking. However, a few days later, it was with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we found out that he had hanged himself.

“The deceased was an alcoholic. Since coming back home from South Africa a few months ago, he spent most of his time at Masilela Beer Garden in Luveve, drinking highly intoxicating alcoholic beverages and taking drugs with his friends.

“Oftentimes, he would come back home in the middle of the night, hopelessly drunk.”

In a related case, a 38-year-old man from Chipinge was found hanged at his family homestead last week after reportedly becoming distressed about belongings he left behind in South Africa following his deportation.

The deceased was identified as Luke Sithole of Watershed Village under Chief Mapungwana.

Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident.

He said Sithole had been struggling emotionally since his deportation in May and had frequently spoken about property he was unable to recover.

His father, Mike Sithole, 72, told police his son had been deeply troubled in recent months.

“Luke’s father reported that after being deported from South Africa sometime in May, his son repeatedly complained about belongings he had left behind. He said Luke was constantly worried about recovering the property and often spoke about it,” Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said.