Chief Simphiwe Zuma denied bail after his application in the Howick Magistrates Court today. Image credit: BAIL HEARING
(The Post News) – The Howick Magistrate’s Court denied bail to Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma, the traditional chief of the Nxamalala Tribal Authority, today. The Democratic Alliance (DA) quickly celebrated the decision as a win for the rule of law.
In the case involving the death of his nephew, DA councillor and the chief whip of the uMngeni Local Municipality, Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, Magistrate Donna Sindane gave the decision, refusing to release Zuma on bail. Following arguments that the traditional leader constituted a flight risk, a possible threat to state witnesses, and a threat to public order, the court rendered its ruling.
Zuma, who was visibly shaken by the judgment, now remains in custody facing a total of three murder charges, which are all being investigated by the specialized KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team:
- Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, DA Councillor, was murdered in December 2023: Ndlovu was shot dead outside his house in eMasosheni, Mpophomeni, and Zuma is charged with planning his murder. Zuma’s claim of control over the Mpophomeni region and a contentious disagreement about unlawful electricity connection fees are linked to the purported motivation.
- Xolani Ndlovu-Ntombela was murdered in November 2022: According to this fresh accusation, Zuma linked the pattern of violence to land-based power struggles and targeted Ntombela-Ndlovu for disclosing illegal land sales in the same eMasosheni area. Recently, Zuma and his co-accused had withdrawn their request for bail in this case.
- Murder of Induna Qalokunye Zuma (January 2023): Zuma is charged with planning the murder of his senior induna and cousin. Notably, Zuma was detained again on the Ndlovu murder charge weeks after being granted R25,000 bail in this case in July.
KwaZulu-Natal’s DA applauded the decision, saying provincial head Francois Rodgers: “Murderers have no place in our community… Until justice is served, the DA and our legal team will not give up on the Ndlovu family.”
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