By Staff Reporter
MALAMULELE – A wave of grief swept through Malamulele B2 this afternoon as the body of 20-year-old Xilaveko Khosa arrived at his family home ahead of his funeral.
The young man was brutally killed while defending his sister during a violent home invasion earlier this week.
Xilaveko, a learner at E.P.P. Mhinga Secondary School, was shot in the head in the early hours of Tuesday, 6 May 2025, after attempting to shield his 17-year-old sister from being raped by intruders.
His act of bravery has left the community mourning the senseless loss of a promising life taken in the most brutal fashion.
According to police reports, the family’s home was invaded around 2 a.m. by two armed men wearing balaclavas. They stormed into the bedroom of the 43-year-old father, demanding money and valuables at gunpoint. After handing over his cellphone and explaining that he had no cash, the suspects tied him up and moved towards the rooms where his children were sleeping.
Shortly after, gunshots echoed through the house. When the father eventually freed himself, he found his son lying in a pool of blood, shot in the forehead, and his daughter had been assaulted.
Emergency services were called, and both victims were rushed to hospital. Tragically, Xilaveko was declared dead on arrival.
The suspects fled the scene with several stolen items, including a cellphone, television, laptop, chainsaw, bicycle, and other belongings valued at approximately R36,300.
As the Khosa family and the Malamulele community prepare for Xilaveko’s funeral tomorrow morning, heartbreak and disbelief linger. Residents continue to express outrage over the incident and have called for swift justice.
Police investigations are ongoing, and the suspects remain at large. Anyone with information is urged to come forward.
