Murder suspect in court day after victim's funeral

Video

MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - A day after mourners gathered in Scholtz Street, KwaNonqaba to pay their respects to murdered mother of three, Naledi Phandingawo (26), her alleged killer and father of two of her children made his third court appearance. Phandingawo was laid to rest on National Youth Day, 16 June. Due to the national Covid-19 lockdown regulations, only a handful of people were able to accompany their beloved Naledi, a former Miss KwaNonqaba and entrepreneur to her grave-site.

On Wednesday, 17 June, the 34-year-old suspect, Mlondi Ntlangulela's court appearance was met with activists delivering a petition to plead for no bail.

The petition, signed by 5 000 members of the community, was handed over at court. Another petition has been doing the rounds online, in order to call for more support from further afield.

Ntlangulela abandoned his bail application. The case was postponed to 8 July. Ntlangulela remains in custody.

Watch a video below:

Gender based violence
Naledi Phandingawo was killed on Saturday, 6 June in KwaNonqaba. She was stabbed with a knife and hacked with an axe. It was reported that Ntanlgulela attacked her without warning at a residence in Adriaans Avenue. He fled the scene and handed himself over to the police in Cape Town on Sunday, 7 June.

Phandingawo's death caused an outcry on social media. Another beautiful young woman, the heavily pregnant Tshegofatso Pule (28) was also killed in Roodepoort last week. Her body was found stabbed and hanging from a tree.

A 31-year-old suspect was apprehended in connection with Pule's murder this week, as he was on his way to Mpumalanga. Incidently, the suspect made his first court appearance on Wednesday, 17 June.

Mourners gather to pay their respects to Naledi Phandingawo on 16 June at her memorial service.