Residents’ ire forces murder accused to abandon bail

Two men accused of killing and burying a Mpumalanga woman in a shallow grave have abandoned their bail application.

This as the community bayed for their blood and called for the court not to release them on bail.

The group, mostly women, blocked a police truck transporting Marvellous Tshepo Madonsela, 33, and Mbuyiseni Isaac Sikhiti, 34, to the KaNyamazane periodical court on Wednesday, demanding that they be handed over to them.

“We want to teach them that women need to be respected. The court must know that if they give them bail, we will take the law into our own hands.” said one resident Sindi Shongwe.

Madonsela and Sikhithi are charged with defeating the ends of justice, house robbery and theft. Their co-accused Pertunia Mhlanga, 28, appeared in the same court on Tuesday and was granted R500 bail. She faces charges of possession of suspected stolen goods.

Mabuza went missing on June 25 and her body was exhumed from a shallow grave in Luphisa cemetery in Pienaar, outside Mbombela, on Monday. “On the day she was reported missing, her VW Polo was found in a secluded place in Pienaar, and all wheels from her vehicle were removed as well as the side mirror and the backseat. Some items inside her house were also missing, and these include a TV set and a fridge,” said provincial police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli.

Acting provincial commissioner of the police Maj-Gen Zeph Mkhwanazi said they would make sure the matter was finalised. “We cannot rule out the possibility of making further arrests on the case as our investigation is ongoing,” he said.

Another resident Sibongile Precious Thabotha said the incident had left her fearing for her life. “I am scared. I wish justice can prevail faster in this case. I am happy that regardless of finding the victim dead, she was found because some victims are never found. Let them [accused] rot in jail," said Thabotha, adding that the community was angered by the incident. 

The trio will appear together on August 14.