'I wish she'd told me it was an abusive relationship'

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay residents took the law into their own hands this week when they brutally killed a 25-year-old man in a bundu court, following the rape of a five-year-old girl.

Shortly thereafter, Asla Park resident Mthura Khalani (30) was stabbed in the heart and died when he tried to defend Yanga Mayambela (32) on Sunday, 11 October, while her boyfriend allegedly repeatedly attacked her with a knife at his home in Asla Park.

Yanga was stabbed brutally and died in a Mossel Bay hospital later the same day.

The body of the 25-year-old rape suspect was only discovered by police the next day. A police officer told the Mossel Bay Advertiser that no one would talk about the bundu court and that community members were defending one another.

Yanga's boyfriend, Nkosithandile Ngolomi (28), appeared in the Mossel Bay Magistrate's court on two counts of murder on Wednesday, 14 October, after he had handed himself over to police. The case was postponed to 13 November for a formal bail application and he remains in custody.

Worked as a manager
Yanga worked as a manager at Steers in Da Nova, Mossel Bay. Her sister, Nogcina Khohliwe, told the Advertiser she didn't really know the suspect well.

"Yanga never talked about their relationship much. I wish she had told me it was an abusive relationship."

Nogcina said Yanga moved to Mossel Bay a few years ago. She had been in a relationship with Nkosithandile for the past two years.

She will be buried in the Eastern Cape, where her mother lives.

Residents in Kanonkop Street, Asla Park, say Mthura knew Nkosithandile and that they were neighbours.

Nogcina says they heard rumours that Yanga was talking to Mthura on the day of the murder, when Nkosithandile called her inside their house. He was allegedly jealous and allegedly started attacking Yanga.

Mthura died on the scene and Yanga was rushed to a Mossel Bay Hospital where she later died of her wounds.

Nkosithandile handed himself over at the KwaNonqaba Police Station later, on the day of the murders.

'Bundu' Court
KwaNonqaba police are still investigating the death of the 25-year-old man who allegedly raped a five-year-old-girl on Thursday, 8 October.

Police spokesperson Sgt Kappie Kapp says the toddler's aunt noticed that something was wrong and confronted the little girl. "The victim told her aunt she was raped by their neighbour."

According to sources the girl's aunt called a community leader, who approached the alleged rapist. The man ran away. He was later caught by enraged residents, who stoned and stabbed him to death.

His body was half naked when police found him on Friday, 9 October, where he was lying in an open field near Indwe Secondary School. A doctor confirmed the five-year-old girl had been raped.

No one has been arrested in connection with the bundu court killing.

Nkosithandile Ngolomi