Nxamalala Tribal Authority leader Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma will spend the festive season behind bars, with all three of his criminal matters postponed to January, after his lawyers failed to arrive at the Howick Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Zuma (55) is trapped in a deadly web of murder and conspiracy allegations, spanning three separate cases and including two relatives among the victims. These alleged crimes occurred in the Nxamalala Tribal Authority areas — Impendle and Emasosheni — near Mpophomeni, in a space of two years.
Zuma was expected to apply for bail on Tuesday in his third case, relating to the November 2022 murder of Xolani Ndlovu-Ntombela at Emasosheni. Prosecutor Zwakushiwo Nzama said Zuma’s team claimed to believe the court date to be December 14, a Sunday, while others understood it to be Tuesday. Zuma appeared alongside Thembelani Mbatha, Thobani Masobho Hlongwa and Khayelihle Hlongwa.
The fourth co-accused, Deon Mathonsi, was absent as he was appearing on one of his multiple murder cases at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. The State had been expected to serve indictments on all five, but this has been postponed to January 12, making Zuma visibly frustrated. In a twist of development, Nzama announced that Mathonsi has entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the state, which his lawyer confirmed. The prosecution is now preparing to separate his matters from the rest.
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