SIKHUMBUZO Zungu has pleaded guilty to killing Babongile Nkonyeni, whom he was in a relationship with at the time of the murder on October 26 last year.

On Friday (August 21), the Pinetown Regional Court found Zungu guilty.

In a statement read at the court, Zungu said on the day of the murder he was angered by pictures of a naked man which Nkonyeni received on her phone on the morning of the murder.

According to Zungu, on the day, he was woken up by the ringing of Nkonyeni’s cellphone, which he then answered, while she was asleep, with no response from the other end. Zungu said after that interaction, a message of pictures of a naked man then followed, which angered him and led to him confronting Nkonyeni. He said he does not recall Nkonyeni’s response but out of anger, he grabbed a sharp object and stabbed her four times in the chest.

Zungu also pleaded guilty to theft, a charge he faced for taking two cellphones belonging to Nkonyeni.

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In his statement, Zungu said he was remorseful for his actions, which he conceded cannot be justified.

Nkonyeni’s family was moved by Zungu’s guilty plea, as sniffles could be heard from the court gallery the five of them were huddled in.

Zungu is due back in court for sentencing on September 1.

After proceedings, Nkonyeni’s mother, Sibongile Shezi, visibly emotional, said what Zungu had done felt like he had murdered her too.

“I am really hurt because he killed my child who was still very young and had a future with her family, a very bright future. He has also robbed his own child of a mother,” said Shezi, who said she expects the court to mete out justice when sentencing Zungu.

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