Katlego Mokoena (L) and Lungelo Sithole (R) appear in Nelspruit Magistrates’ Court in connection with Lusanda Mathabela’s murder. Picture: Supplied. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reiterates its commitment to fight against the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide as the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court denies bail to the ex-boyfriend of murdered Mpumalanga teenager Lusanda Mathabela.
19-year-old Mathabela was murdered during a house break-in at her home in Mattafin, Nelspruit, in November 2025. Her murder sent shockwaves across South Africa and her community. Katlego Mokoena (19), the victim’s former boyfriend, and his friend Lungelo Sithole (19) have been charged with the teenager’s murder.
Sithole and Mokoena applied for bail on separate occasions. The same court dismissed Sithole’s bail application last month. The police found Mathabela lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds.
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Two suspects had allegedly jumped over the wall and entered the house on 3 November 2025. When the victim encountered Mokoena and Sithole, she screamed, prompting one of them to allegedly stab her. Construction workers nearby heard the commotion and informed her dad, who contacted the police.
Police cornered and arrested Mokoena and Sithole shortly after. NPA regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the accused allegedly requested an Uber ride to Mathabela’s house on the day of the incident. “The accused were allegedly found at the crime scene, and the victim’s lifeless body was discovered in a pool of blood in the bathroom,” Nyuswa said.
In handing down its judgment on thebail application, the court considered the seriousness of the charge. It also noted the significant public interest in the Mattafin community.
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