A 32-year-old woman hacked to death with an axe, allegedly by her boyfriend, was a senior member of an organisation that protects the rights of women and children.
A 32-year-old woman hacked to death with an axe, allegedly by her boyfriend, was a senior member of an organisation that protects the rights of women and children.
Throughout the 39-year-old man's court appearances women wearing T-shirts emblazoned with Nontsikelelo Mtwisha's photo and the message, "Rest in peace Ntsiki" have been part of a group that has filled the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court.
The man, a well-known mechanic, handed himself over to police after his girlfriend was attacked with an axe and locked in his Vukani house.
Vukani community members were shocked as police officers arrived on 7 July and removed Mtwisha's battered body from the house the couple shared.
On Friday, the defence handed in written submissions as part of their bail evidence.
Referring to the public interest around the case, the 39-year-old man's legal counsel, advocate Charles Stamper, argued that there was no way to determine for certain whether the people who packed the courtroom were all against his client's bail application.
He said some might have been in court because they sympathised with the accused.
In an attempt to clear up the confusion, state prosecutor Lungile Msutu told the court that while the state had initially opted not to oppose bail, he would call a representative of the community to address the court on how they would feel should the suspect be granted bail.
Members of the Black Consciousness Movement; Ubuntu Community Forum; Azanian Youth Organisation; Vukani and Extension 4 residents elected Nosigqibo Soxujwa as their spokesperson to address the court on their behalf.
Explaining how she had known Mtwisha, Soxujwa said the 32-year-old woman had been the deputy chairperson of the Azanian Youth Organisation.
Her role had mostly centred on educating women and children about their rights.
Soxujwa said they had come to court after hearing that the man accused of Mtwisha's murder was applying for bail.
She pleaded that the court not grant the accused bail, adding that his life might be in danger should he be released. Soxujwa said she had been given clear instructions by the community to ask the court not to grant the accused bail.
"I was told that he deserves to be in custody for violating a defenceless woman," she said. Soxujwa warned that community members over whom her organisation did not always have control might harm the accused should he be released on bail.
"It is not me who is saying this. But they say his life will be in danger should he be released," she said.
Magistrate Ronny Lesele postponed the case to Friday 2 August.
