KwaDukuza court hears husband planned hit on municipal official wife
The KwaDukuza Magistrate's Court has heard how two men allegedly planned the murder of local municipal official Nokulunga Mashabane.
Her husband, Thobani Nzama, and his co-accused, Sipho Mgwaba, made their first court appearance on Friday.
The pair now face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.
According to the charge sheet, Nzama and Mgwaba met a few days before the murder in June to plan the hit.
They were arrested by police on Wednesday after an extensive investigation.
They allegedly hired a hitman and were in the vicinity when the 31-year-old Mashabane was shot while sitting in her car along Zinkwazi Link Road.
Prosecutors say the pair later tried to mislead detectives by removing her cellphone and driver’s licence from the scene to make it look like a robbery.
Nzama is also accused of reporting his wife missing and later falsely claiming the murder was politically motivated.
Family, friends, and former colleagues packed the courtroom to see the men accused of killing the Mashabane in the dock.
Her brother Thokozani Mashabane says he is shocked and angry that her husband could be involved.
He claims Nzama has been abusive to his sister.
"He didn't even think about his children. They will grow up without having a mother. And now they will [also] grow up without having a father because he is going to rot in jail."
The suspects will be back in court next week for formal bail application.
WATCH: Emotions ran high at the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court as Nokulunga Mashabane’s husband and his co-accused appeared for her murder. Thobani Nzama and Sipho Mgwaba will remain behind bars until their bail hearing on 8 August. @Logic_Malinga pic.twitter.com/j2TzZWAZkP
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) August 1, 2025
MORE ON ECR
