Aleyka Shaik murder case delayed again, bail application pushed to later August

The murder case of Pietermaritzburg nurse Aleyka Shaik has been hit by further delays, with the accused’s court appearance on Friday ending in yet another postponement. Shaik’s ex-husband, Keith Chetty (39), appeared briefly in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court, where the matter was adjourned to August 27 for a formal bail application. The latest postponement adds to a series of delays that have stalled progress in this case.

Chetty, who is accused of murdering the 34-year-old nurse, had previously abandoned his bail application before indicating he would proceed with it. Shaik, a nurse in the high care unit at Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg, was killed in March in a case sending shockwaves through the community. She was stabbed while fetching her daughter from Chetty’s relative’s home in March.

At the time of her death, Shaik was recently remarried and was five months pregnant with twins. Family members have previously expressed frustration over repeated delays, saying the ongoing postponements are prolonging their trauma and delaying justice. Community activists have also called for the matter to proceed without further setbacks, with some opposing bail for the accused. The case is expected to resume on August 27 for formal bail application.