Killer couple face life sentence for murder

What should have been a celebration and joyous day for the Dlamini and Mphethi family turned into a day filled with headaches, frustrations and tears after their son was murdered during a graduation party at Vosloorus.

It is a difficult story for the young couple, Sthembile Dlamini and Thabo Mphethi to share as they have to revisit the traumatic experience.

The couple lost their five-month-old firstborn child Jaiden Dlamini on his mother’s special day after he suffered serious brain injuries and died while at Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital, on the night of April 20, 2019.

Dlamini was hosting a graduation party along with friends to celebrate obtaining a BA degree in social sciences from the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

According to Dlamini, uninvited guests Nombulelo Sonzulu and Koos Phiri who lived three houses away attended the event and caused destruction before assaulting people.

“On the day I had several guests who confirmed to attend and a few of them were running late. Sonzulu and Phiri were at the house with the children. Because some of my guests had not arrived, the couple occupied their seats,” said Dlamini.

“I spoke to them informing them that they were not supposed to sit there. They started cursing but later settled down.”

Dlamini said that was the beginning of the turmoil, citing that while her mother-in-law was giving her speech, Sonzulu and Phiri started destructing them.

“I was supposed to do my speech after her but my grandmother asked me to say a few words first. She came out of the house and went to the tent carrying the child on his back,” she continued.

“Sonzulu and Phiri started making noises and breaking the glass on the table. I reprimanded them and told them that they are ruining my event.

“Untimely, I asked them to leave, but they refused and said they are hungry. We brought them snacks, which they finished.”

She said they continued destructing the event until she decided to call Mphethi to escort them outside. However, as Mphethi was about to take Sonzulu outside, her boyfriend attacked him.

“My grandmother wanted to put the baby in the house so that she can return and get clarity on what was happening.

“I think as she was approaching, Phiri thought she was going to attack his girlfriend when he pushed my grandmother who fell to the ground. Fortunately, she was able to balance herself to avoid falling on top of the baby.

“She fell on her bum. We started panicking trying to reach her to assist her to get up. Sonzulu was kicking her while she was down. I think that is how the baby was injured. I was not even aware because when I tried to get close, people stopped me,” she explained.

Dlamini said the next thing she heard was that her child was bleeding from his eyes and ears and the child was not responding at that time.

Although there were no vehicles, they were helped by a taxi driver, who was at a nearby tuck shop to buy cigarettes.

“I asked the driver to rush us to J Dumane Clinic. When we arrived they attended to us fast, as the baby was in bad condition.

“But, I think they did not want to say it directly to my face. I remember even when I was putting him down I could see that he wanted to hug me. He was trying to cry but he could not anymore. Both sides of his head looked like it was crushed.”

She said they were told there is nothing they can do before they transferred him to Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital.

“We waited for the ambulance. When it arrived they tried to check his vitals but it was not reading anything. Even the paramedics did not want to tell me that the child is not going to make it.”

Dlamini said Thelle Mogoerane was very busy on the day because it was the Easter long weekend, but the doctors stopped and attended to her child.

She was later told that the child will need a blood transfusion because he suffered intense internal bleeding.
A few moments later they told her that the child is brain dead and that he will be placed on life support and monitored to see if he responds.

“At around 20:00, the doctors asked elderly family members to leave because it was late and cold, so I remained behind with my partner.

“Then a nurse gave me the baby’s clothes in a white plastic bag, I was puzzled, and I asked if my baby was alright. The nurse could not tell me. She said it is better if I see for myself but I should be strong,” he added.

“The doctor requested to see us in private in his office where he informed us that our baby is dead. The way my heart was broken, I was numb.”

She said when they returned home the family, relatives and friends were disappointed as they were expecting that they were coming home with the child, only to find he had died.

She explained they attempted to open a case at Vosloorus SAPS on the same night, however, the police did not want to attend to her.

“I asked to see the captain. He was so rude I do not remember his name but I know him. I went back home with my family because I did not have the energy and we still had a funeral to prepare for,” said Dlamini.

She said in 2019 she got a bursary to study for her honours degree but she decided to take a gap year to raise her child.

“This was supposed to be my day and in a blink of an eye it turned into something else.”

According to Dlamini the case was reported by the State and assigned Detective Warrant Officer Abram Mphele as the investigating officer.

Mphele said the pair were arrested on April 23, 2019, and released on bail at the Vosloorus Magistrate’s Court (VMC).

Mphele explained that he did not oppose bail because the accused were elderly people and first-time offenders.

Phiri and Sonzulu were convicted on October 17, 2022, and were each sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of baby Jaiden Dlamini and assault with intent to cause grievous body harm (GBH).

“We arrested them for murder, but the court added the charges of GBH after hearing statements from witnesses during court proceedings,” said Mphele.

He said the court judgement relieved the family because the case took longer to conclude, as the incident took place in 2019.

“Shortly after that there was the Covid-19 pandemic and the case kept being remanded,” he said.

“It took a long time. They nearly lost hope but I was supporting them through thick and thin, taking them to court and providing them with feedback.”

Mphele has managed to get four convictions in 2022. He said it is their mandate as police members to regain confidence from the communities that they serve and to make it easy for people to report crime and share tip-offs.

Dlamini told Kathorus MAIL that they are still going through a healing process as she explained that they have never received trauma counselling after the event.

“When I heard of the judgement I was shaking. I broke down and cried as I remembered that day. “It was something I was trying to forget. Since that day I have not looked at my graduation pictures because that was the last time I saw my child and held him. Two minutes later he was gone,” said Dlamini.