Lolitha Kowa's father says the family is devastated by her murder
Seven-year-old Lolitha Kowa from Kuyasa was reported missing by her mother on Tuesday, after she didn't return from playing at a friend's house.
Odwa Jack and Nokuthula Matyeseni appeared briefly before the Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court on 25 July 2025 on charges related to the rape and murder of seven-year-old Lolitha Kowa. Picture: Ntuthuzelo Nene/EWN
CAPE TOWN - The father of a seven-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and killed in Khayelitsha, in Cape Town, said the family was devastated by her loss.
Lolitha Kowa from Kuyasa was reported missing by her mother on Tuesday, after she didn't return from playing at a friend's house.
Her body was found dumped not far from where she was last seen.
READ: Duo accused of killing Lolitha Kowa opt for Legal Aid representation
Lolitha's alleged killers, Odwa Jack and Nokuthula Matyeseni, appeared at the Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court on Friday, charged with rape and murder.
Lolitha Kowa's father, Zukisani Skade, said the little girl's murder had taken a toll on the family.
He said what hurt the most was that he considered one of the accused, Nokuthula Matyeseni, a friend of the family.
"She was there when I arrived on Wednesday during the search, and she was standing with us in the street. I never suspected her to be involved in this."
Skade added that he's relieved to see the people linked to his daughter's murder behind bars.
[WATCH]
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) July 25, 2025
He says accused number 2, Nokuthula Matyeseni was a friend of the family and never suspected her of having a hand in his daughter’s disappearance @NtuthuzeloNene pic.twitter.com/ExUMGqv676
[WATCH]
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) July 25, 2025
He says children’s safety is not being prioritised enough @NtuthuzeloNene pic.twitter.com/h2UXxMkbX1