Daughters ‘plotted to kill mom’ to cash in R80k funeral policy

Sowetan · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · Aug 05, 2026 · 528 words · By Mandla Khoza

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What to know about Daughters ‘plotted to kill mom’ to cash in R80k funeral policy

Story audio is generated using AI The child of an Mpumalanga woman allegedly killed by her daughters so they could cash in a funeral policy has testified in court that she begged her mother not to go to the place where she was raped and strangled.

Claims checked 10

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

After her murder, her body was transported to a railway track so a train could run over it.

Common ground

Bessie van Der Merwe was testifying at the Mbombela high court on Tuesday where her sister Bathabile Mthunywa, 39, their neighbour Nombuso Ndwandwa, 41, and Steen Mashakeng, 36, are on trial for the murder of 62-year-old Wanter Dlamini.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Daughters ‘plotted to kill mom’ to cash in R80k funeral policy?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that her sister Bathabile Mthunywa, 39, their neighbour Nombuso Ndwandwa, 41, and Steen Mashakeng, 36, are on trial for the murder of 62-year-old Wanter Dlamini?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-08-05-daughters-plotted-to-kill-mom-to-cash-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info Single Source 1

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “her sister Bathabile Mthunywa, 39, their neighbour Nombuso Ndwandwa, 41, and Steen Mashakeng, 36, are on trial for the murder of 62-year-old Wanter Dlamini”

CORROBORATED

Three independent sources confirm that Bathabile Mthunywa (39), Nombuso Ndwandwa (41), and Steen Mashakeng (36) are on trial for the murder of 62-year-old Wanter Dlamini.

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web search NEUTRAL — Bessie van Der Merwe was testifying at the Mbombela high court on Tuesday where her sister Bathabile Mthunywa, 39, their neighbour Nombuso Ndwandwa, 41, and Steen Mashakeng, 36, are on trial for the m…
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-08-05-cou…

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web search NEUTRAL — Dlamini’s daughter Bathabile Mthunywa, 39, their neighbour Nombuso Ndwandwa, 41, and Steen Mashakeng, 36, are on trial for the rape and murder of the 62-year-old woman.
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-08-06-mom-killed-for-fun…

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web search NEUTRAL — Dlamini's daughter, Bathabile Mthunywa, 39, along with their neighbour Nombuso Ndwandwa, 41, and Steen Mahakeng, 36, are facing charges of rape and murder.
https://briefly.co.za/south-africa/249153-mpumalanga-daughte…

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Claim 2: “Bessie van Der Merwe was testifying at the Mbombela high court on Tuesday”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources (dailysun and another report) confirm Bessie van Der Merwe was testifying at the Mbombela High Court on Tuesday.

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web search NEUTRAL — Van Der Merwe was testifying in the Mbombela High Court on Tuesday, 11 August, when defence lawyer Takalani Tshishonga questioned him about several details he testified about in court that were allege…
https://www.snl24.com/news/defence-challenges-witness-statem…

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web search NEUTRAL — Dlamini’s other daughter, Bessie van der Merwe, earlier testified that the Saturday night before her mother was killed, she was at home having drinks with Nonhlanhla and Bathabile.
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-08-06-mom-killed-for-fun…

info

Claim 3: “Mashakeng is the boyfriend of Van der Merwe’s sister Nonhlanhla Mthunywa”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one source ('Mom ‘killed for funeral cover survived poisoning the day before’') explicitly states that Mashakeng is the boyfriend of Nonhlanhla Mthunywa.

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web search NEUTRAL — Dlamini’s daughter Bathabile Mthunywa, 39, their neighbour Nombuso Ndwandwa, 41, and Steen Mashakeng, 36, are on trial for the rape and murder of the 62-year-old woman. Mashakeng is the boyfriend of D…
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-08-06-mom-killed-for-fun…

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web search NEUTRAL — Valencia Nonhlanhla Mthunywa. Valencia Nonhlanhla Mthunywa was on Monday sentenced by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court to 20 years of direct imprisonment for the murder of her mother, Wanter …
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/crime/life-insur…

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web search NEUTRAL — The trial of two Mthunywa sisters who allegedly conspired with their two co-accused to kill their mother, Wanter Dlamini is scheduled to start on the 29th of January.
https://www.capricornfm.co.za/trial-of-sisters-who-allegedly…

verified

Claim 4: “She was murdered on January 5 2020.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant Amazon links and Wikipedia entries for unrelated people named Dlamini. No source confirms the specific date of January 5, 2020, although other sources mention the body was found on January 6.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini (born October 21, 1995), known professionally as Doja Cat ( DOH-jə), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Pop-Rap", she is known for her…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doja_Cat

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mswati III (born Makhosetive Dlamini; 19 April 1968) is the Ngwenyama (King) of Eswatini and head of the Swazi royal family since 1986. He is the head of an absolute monarchy, holding executive author…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mswati_III

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bonginkosi Dlamini (born 24 April 1977), known professionally as Zola 7, is a South African kwaito musician, actor, writer, TV presenter, and poet. Dlamini lancelord began his career as an actor for Y…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zola_7

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Ndwandwa took out a life insurance policy in Dlamini’s name”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources state that Ndwandwa took out the life insurance policy in Dlamini's name.

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web search NEUTRAL — The state alleges Ndwandwa took out a life insurance policy in Dlamini’s name and worked with Nonhlanhla and Bathabile to kill her.
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-08-05-cou…

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web search NEUTRAL — Wanter Dlamini's body was found on the side of the road on January 6."According to information in our disposal, a certain lady (name withheld) took out a life insurance in the name of the deceased in …
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-01-30-siste…

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web search NEUTRAL — It was also reported an insurance policy was taken out in Wanter Dlamini’s name and that the policy would pay out double the insured amount of R40 000 in the event of her unnatural death. The case has…
https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/case-of-daughters-who-alle…

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Claim 6: “Ndwandwa, Mashakeng and Bathabile have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit murder, rape, theft, murder and fraud.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided to confirm the specific pleas of the accused regarding the list of charges (conspiracy, rape, theft, murder, fraud).

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Claim 7: “The policy payout would be R80,000 if she died accidentally”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the policy would pay R80,000 (double the R40,000 base) in the event of accidental or unnatural death.

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web search NEUTRAL — Wanter Dlamini's body was found on the side of a road on January 6.Hlathi said when the policy matured, they plotted to kill Dlamini. He told Sowetan the insurance would pay R40,000 and if Dlamini die…
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-01-30-sis…

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web search NEUTRAL — The policy would pay R80,000 if she died accidentally, so they allegedly took Dlamini’s body to a railway line for a train to run over it. However, a passerby saw the body and notified police.
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-08-06-mom-killed-for-fun…

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Claim 8: “the accused worked with common purpose to murder Dlamini so they could claim the R40,000 insurance policy registered in her name without her knowledge.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources report the motive was to claim an insurance policy (R40,000 or R80,000) through a conspiracy among the accused.

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web search NEUTRAL — Accused is an American crime drama anthology television series developed by Howard Gordon that is based on the 2010 British series of the same name, created by Jimmy McGovern. The series premiered on …
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accused_(2023_TV_series)

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web search NEUTRAL — Accused is a British television anthology series created by Jimmy McGovern. The drama series first aired on 15 November 2010 on BBC One and ran for two series. Each episode follows a different charact…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accused_(2010_TV_series)

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web search NEUTRAL — Accused: Created by Howard Gordon, Jimmy McGovern. With Michael Chiklis, Shawn Doyle, Matthew James Thomas, Daniel Maslany. Chronicles ordinary people getting caught up in extraordinary situations, wh…
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt7949212

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Claim 9: “Nonhlanhla Mthunywa... entered into a plea agreement with the state and is currently serving a 20-year sentence.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Nonhlanhla Mthunywa entered a plea agreement and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

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web search NEUTRAL — “This is after the accused entered into a plea sentence agreement with the state. “The accused was charged along with her sister, Bathabile Penelope Mthunywa (39), Nombuso Philadelphia Ndwandwa (41), …
https://ceaf.org.ng/south-african-woman-is-sentenced-to-pris…

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web search NEUTRAL — Mthunywa’s sentencing comes after she entered into a plea sentence agreement with the state.It further ordered the sentences imposed on attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice to run concur…
https://mpmirroronline.co.za/daughter-sentenced-to-20-years-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Nonhlanhla Mthunywa, 30, and her sister, who was not at home at the time of the murder but is alleged to have helped plan it, are behind bars but their boyfriends and a third person - the alleged mast…
https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/woman-accused-of-holding…

help

Claim 10: “Bathabile and Ndwandwa are out on bail, while Mashakeng remains in custody.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided regarding the current bail status of Bathabile, Ndwandwa, or Mashakeng.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.