Politician’s Wife, Reported Missing, Says She Is Safe; Reports Abuse

A politician’s “missing” wife from South Africa claims to be safe and sound at an undisclosed location, but she also charges her husband of abuse.

When Simenyiwe MaDlomo Zondo’s family reported her missing to the police on Friday, August 16, 2024, they feared the worst. Her dad, Nkosinathi Dlomo, and husband, Sanele Zondo, are the chairs of the IFP Youth Brigade.

When her husband last spoke with her, she told him she was going shopping in Richards Bay.

MaDlomo went live on Instagram on Wednesday, August 21, assuring her followers that she was safe following rumours that her last sighting was last Friday.

MaDlomo revealed unsettling information regarding the purported maltreatment she experienced in her married household.

She talked about how her spouse had reportedly abused her physically and emotionally during the webcast.

The 28-year-old lady related how Zondo allegedly pursued her off and smacked her eight times till she started crying.

She informed the audience that he allegedly threatened her and dared her to denounce him to the police, claiming he would not be intimidated by her.

After their fight, she claimed to have tried to flee and report the event to the police, but he arrived at the police station first and claimed that she had injured him, she recalled.

Zondo, the national chairperson of the IFPYB, the organization’s youth wing, denied the accusations of abuse made by his wife in an interview with IOL News on Wednesday.

Zondo asserted, however, that it was he who had been assaulted by his spouse.

“The families were yet to meet to address her allegations of me being abusive, but she left before the meeting happened,” said Zondo.

MaDlomo stated that the police did not file a report, and when they went home, her mother-in-law refused to let her in, accusing her of abusing her.

“I did tell my father about how I am treated, and that my husband is not giving me money for food, or furniture to put in my rondavel, since he has not yet built a house for me. He did not provide for me,” said MaDlomo.

She rejected her husband’s claims that he had not spoken to her since Friday morning at 11 a.m. She continued by saying that he had been putting off her calls for some time.

“My father has never taken my side, he would blame me and say I am not respectful towards my husband,” said MaDlomo.

Dlomo, Simenyiwe’s father, acknowledged that his daughter was live streaming on Instagram and refuted the claims made against him that he knew of the abuse she was subjected to in her marriage but did nothing to assist her.

“Such allegations need the families to sit down and talk. She told me about the situation and I told her I take her word for it, but we need to meet with the Zondo family and talk about a way forward,” said Dlomo.

Dlomo stated she had not reached out to her family since she went “missing” and that he was still searching for his daughter.

Zondo stated that he would hold a press briefing to present his side of the story.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli