Court hears of threats, strange messages before Tshegofatso Pule's death
The High Court in Johannesburg has heard of threats and strange phone messages from alleged recruitment companies before Tshegofatso Pule was killed in June 2020.
The trial against Ntuthuko Shoba, who stands accused of planning and ordering a hit on his pregnant girlfriend, is underway.
The trial started on Monday.
Pule, who was pregnant at the time, was found dead in June 2020 in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, hanging from a tree.
The first witness was Tshepiso Tsita, a friend of Pule's who claimed they had been friends for over 16 years.
She told the court that Pule and Shoba started a romantic relationship in late 2018 and she was financially dependent on him as Shoba frequently sent Pule money using her cell phone number.
She said between April and May 2020, Pule started getting threatening SMS's from someone who claimed to be Shoba's fiancé, telling her to leave him alone and threatening to show up at her place of work.
"She told Tshegofatso that she was HIV positive and told her to get tested," said Tsita.
Tsita said days before Pule's death, she got another SMS from someone named Zandile or Zanele who claimed to be from 'Kelly Recruitment', inviting her to a job interview.
Pule was unemployed at the time and worked as make-up artist prior to resigning from her job.
She told the court the interview was scheduled at McDonald's in Ormonde.
"She put the phone on loudspeaker and when the person answered it was quiet, she put the phone down and got another SMS from Zandile or Zanele apologising and saying she was in back-to-back meetings all day.
She said she was running late and told Tshegofatso she shouldn't go to MacDonald's, she must go opposite McDonald'sand there will be a Jeep and a driver waiting for her.
"She didn't go, she thought it was strange that the interview [was at ] MacDonald's during lockdown and she felt like she was being watched," said Tsita.
Shoba's advocate Norman Makhubela said he denies being in a romantic relationship with Pule and was only supporting her because she was carrying his child.
He claimed there are WhatsApp messages to this effect. Tsita said she was unaware of such messages.
The trial continues.
