Chief Simphiwe Zuma (pictured far left) and co-accused appearing in the Howick Magistrate's Court. Image credit: Mlondiee
(The Post News)- In the Howick Magistrate’s Court, traditional leader Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma is now connected to a terrifying string of killings, painting a complex and dismal picture of organized violence in KwaZulu-Natal. This instance suggests a widespread network of violence in the province by directly connecting long-running property disputes, family crimes, and political assassinations.
Inkosi Zuma, of the Nxamalala Tribal Authority, is at the center of the storm. Already facing charges for the murders of DA councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu and Induna Qalokunye Zuma, he has now been charged with a third count of murder. The latest charge is in connection with the killing of Xolani Ndlovu-Ntombela in November 2022
Despite being formally disbanded by the previous Police Minister, the controversial Political Killings Task Team is still investigating the case against Zuma. Police said that Ndlovu-Ntombela was killed because she exposed unlawful land deals in Mpophomeni, which is the same reason the DA councillor Ndlovu was allegedly assassinated. Both men were slain, according to the prosecution, because they obstructed the traditional authority’s purportedly illicit land transactions and power.
Additionally, shocking information about how this “deadly web” reaches beyond Inkosi Zuma has been presented to the court. Thembelani Mbatha and Deon Mathonsi, two suspected Pietermaritzburg hitmen, have been connected by the state to the violence. Co-accused in several distinct and horrifying mass murders are Mbatha and Mathonsi, including:
- The massacre of the Memela family in Imbali in April 2023, where 10 family members, including four children, were gunned down.
- The massacre of the Mbambo family in Bulwer in April 2023, where five people were killed at their homestead.
These links imply that the people suspected of carrying out well-publicized political murders are also engaged in ruthless mass murders that have frightened entire towns.
Zuma’s legal team has put up a fierce defense in court, claiming that the state used “fabricated” and “illegally obtained” material. Sithembiso Mdladla, his attorney, told the court that Sergeant Delani Chamane, the investigating officer, had been charged with assaulting Zuma. While Zuma was incarcerated at Westville Prison, the defense also disputed the legitimacy of a search and the information taken from his phone.
However, in the third murder case involving Ndlovu-Ntombela, the latest decision to forgo bail has complicated the accused’s position. In that case, Zuma has decided not to request bail, as have his co-accused Thembelani Mbatha and Thabo Chonco.
Zuma’s legal disputes are developing in a number of ways. On September 30, the court is set to decide on his bail application for the murder of DA councillor Ndlovu, in which his defense denies any involvement. The prosecutions for the several mass murders are still ongoing, and Thembelani Mbatha and Deon Mathonsi are battling accusations that portray them as important players in a larger violent crime syndicate.
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