Gallery erupts as bail bid fails
The court heard that Sikhumbuzo Zungu, who was arrested for fatally stabbing the mother of his child, Babongile Nkonyeni, intends to plead guilty.
THE gallery of the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court emptied with murmurs of approval for the refusal of bail for the man who is on trial for allegedly stabbing to death the mother of his child.
“This is what we wanted, we are relieved,” said the sisters of Babongile Nkonyeni, Phumla Sindi Shezi and Sthabile Nkonyeni, outside court after Sikhumbuzo Zungu (43) was refused bail on Friday, November 28.
The presiding officer said it was not certain that Zungu would attend court if he was granted bail, in particular, considering that after he had fatally stabbed Nkonyeni he had thought of committing suicide.
The court heard during the bail application that Zungu had looked for a rope at the residence on Glenridge Road in Pinetown where the murder was committed on Sunday, October 26 at about 03:00.
The court also heard that Zungu had left the crime scene for his family home in uMlazi where he again looked for rope but found none.
At his family home, Zungu then told his sister and her friend about what had happened and they advised him to hand himself over to the police. But, he did not want to do so immediately.
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The court heard that Zungu intends to plead guilty.
Zungu was arrested on Tuesday, October 28. He faces an additional charge of theft because at the time of his arrest, he was allegedly found in possession of two cellphones belonging to Nkonyeni.
The presiding officer said Nkonyeni’s sister, Shezi, had been a credible witness when she took the stand and testified that Zungu did not consistently financially support the child he has with Nkonyeni and that her late sister shouldered many of their living costs.
The court heard from Shezi that Zungu and his eight-year-old daughter did not have a cordial relationship.
Nkonyeni’s mother, Sibongile Shezi, has previously said that she learnt that the relationship between her daughter and Zungu was strained, but would not speculate on whether that was the cause of the murder.
Zungu is due back in court on January 29, 2026.
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