Africa-Press – South-Africa. A 60-year-old man charged with the double-murder of two elderly women from Umgababa, south of Durban, said he was “sorry” as he was led down to the court holding cells on Monday.
Thokozani Mhlongo made his first appearance in the Umbumbulu Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
He was arrested at the weekend, after the gruesome discovery of the bodies of Zanele Doris Mbuso, 61, and Moni Sophia Xulu, 81.
The women had gone missing on Women’s Day, 9 August.
At the time, the police said the women, who worked as caregivers at the eThembeni crèche, were last seen entering an e-hailing taxi.
The crèche was owned by Xulu and Mbuso was her assistant.
The suspect, who was a security guard at the crèche, had reportedly described the vehicle that the women were last seen in as a white Toyota Avanza.
On Friday, Xulu and Mbuso’s bodies were discovered in a shallow grave outside the crèche.
The police’s Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the women’s hands had been tied and their heads were covered with plastic bags.
Court proceedings
A tearful Mhlongo told the court that he could not afford private legal representation and opted to take legal aid.
The State said it was opposed to bail given the seriousness of the charges against him and the matter was postponed to 28 August for a formal bail application.
As he made his way back to police holding cells, Mhlongo turned back to face the full gallery, and said in isiZulu: “Ngiyaxolisa”, which means “I am sorry”.
However, an angry gallery of mostly women dismissed Mhlongo’s emotions as “crocodile tears”.
Outside court, the group of crèche owners sang struggle songs and said they were happy about the State’s decision to oppose bail.
Ayanda Mhlongo, deputy chairperson of the Umbumbulu crèches association, said: “We are really disheartened by the callous nature in which the murders were committed. It hurts even more that this took place during Women’s Month. We are supposed to be protected, yet we are being killed by people close to us.”
The motive for the double-murder is not yet clear as the State has not yet detailed its case against the accused.
Police said investigations were ongoing.
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