Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal — A 44-year-old man from Machibini village is reeling from emotional shock and public embarrassment after discovering that the baby he believed he had fathered and mourned never existed.
Nkululeko Zulu says his ex-girlfriend, Diyana Maluleke, also 44, led him to believe she was pregnant, only to later claim the baby had died shortly after birth. Zulu was devastated and proceeded to plan a funeral only to uncover a deeply disturbing truth.
Speaking to Isolezwe, Zulu said the deception began months ago when Maluleke told him she was expecting his child. During this time, Zulu provided financial support, believing he was preparing for fatherhood.
Eventually, Maluleke informed him that the baby had been born, but gave little detail. When Zulu requested more information and asked to see the baby, he was told the infant had tragically died.
“I am very sad because I had already told myself that I was going to have a baby,” Zulu said. “But there was nothing we could do; we just started making funeral arrangements.”
The grieving man and his family made preparations for a burial. On the day of the funeral, Maluleke travelled from Durban carrying a small coffin. According to Zulu’s relatives, she appeared genuinely sorrowful, reinforcing the belief that a real child had died.
But during the ceremony, a family member asked to open the coffin to bid the baby farewell. What they found shocked everyone inside was a doll, wrapped in swaddling clothes.
“I almost had a heart attack, I threw the doll on the ground,” Zulu recalled.
In addition to the emotional toll, Zulu had sent money to Maluleke throughout her alleged pregnancy and after the supposed death, believing he was covering medical and funeral costs. He now says he was financially misled.
As a member of the Mathonsi tribe, Zulu is now expected to answer before his local chief to explain why a grave was dug under false pretences. Tribal custom requires him to apologise, as disturbing the land under such circumstances is considered a serious matter.
“It hurts, this is what is bothering me,” Zulu said.
Looking back on the two-year relationship, Zulu says he is still struggling to understand Maluleke’s motives. “Everyone asked me what she would gain from this act, but I don’t know. But her intention was to keep getting money from me,” he said.
Repeated attempts by Isolezwe to get comment from Maluleke were unsuccessful.
