Grenade attack: Toti man charged with murder
The former Air Force colonel and Umkhonto we Sizwe operative handed himself over to police yesterday and was accompanied by his lawyer.
Wearing one takkie and limping, Joel Mbuso Mohoasa used his hat to hide his face as photographers scrambled to snap pictures of him.
Mohoasa is charged with murder, attempted murder and being in possession of explosives.
During the short proceedings, Magistrate Vanitha Armu granted the media permission to take pictures of Mohoasa - saying it would not prejudice him nor his trial and also because there’s been interest in the case.
Mohoasa will be back in court next Friday where he will make a formal bail application.
Until then, he will remain in custody at the Amanzimtoti police station.
Outside court, his family refused to speak to reporters.
Meanwhile, the Commission for Gender Equality says they are worried by the violent nature of gender-based crimes that have been committed lately.
In the grenade attack it is believed the victim, 33-year-old Letshego Mohoasa had an argument over money with her husband before two grenades were thrown at her. She died while being rushed to hospital.
Earlier this week in Empangeni, police found the bodies of a couple that had been shot dead in an alleged murder-suicide.
Two weeks ago in Pietermaritzburg, a woman died in hospital after being allegedly forced to drink battery acid by her boyfriend.
The Commission's Javu Baloyi says the country's justice system is to blame.
"It looks like they're not doing enough to ensure that perpetrators of these heinous crimes are locked for a long time to set a strong precedence. Also, we are engaging with the traditional leaders to challenge patriarchy because it looks like one of the issues is that a woman can not raise her voice to a man.
"Whether you're Zulu or Shangaan, the bottom line is that there are way of resolving conflicts without resorting to taking someone's life in a brutal manner," he said.
(Photos: Anelisa Kubheka)