Thandeka Mdeliswa murder case postponed as charges dropped against two suspects

Kyle Zeeman Digital Editor
Actress Thandeka Mdeliswa died in a Pretoria hospital earlier this month.
Actress Thandeka Mdeliswa died in a Pretoria hospital earlier this month.
Image: Supplied/ Thandeka Mdeliswa's Facebook

The man accused of murdering actress Thandeka Mdeliswa appeared in the Evander magistrate's court on Monday, where the matter was postponed to later this month.

Thandeka, who starred in several TV productions including iKani, eKasi: Our Stories and the film Uthando Lukayisa, was shot in Evander, Mpumalanga, on September 3 in what her family described as “another incident of violence against women”.

She was transferred to a hospital in Pretoria where she later died.

Three men were arrested by police last week in connection with the murder, but only one suspect appeared in court on Monday, where the matter was postponed to next week for a formal bail application.

“Siyabonga Mbatha (25) appeared at the Evander magistrate's court on Monday on a charge of murder. The matter has been postponed to September 21, 2020 for formal bail application,” NPA regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa told SowetanLIVE's sister publication TshisaLIVE.

She explained that charges against the other two suspects had been withdrawn because they could not be linked to the murder.

“Investigations are ongoing,” she added.

According to police, Thandeka was shot after she went to investigate a squabble between her brother and two men. When she approached the scene, one of the men allegedly snatched a firearm from his friend and shot her.

Two men fled the scene and police and medical personnel were immediately summoned.


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