The family of the woman who was allegedly shot by her husband in December gasped for air and sighed as they heard details of the shooting during the bail hearing yesterday.

Sifiso Dlamini, the man accused of attempting to kill his wife in full view of their two children, who were 12 and nine years old, made his third court appearance in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court since being released from the hospital.

The couple’s nine-year-old son is autistic.

The shooting happened in the couple’s home in Aloe Ridge Complex and left the community shocked on December 16 at around 21:00.

Dlamini allegedly shot his wife and drove to Rondebosch before heading to Sam Rose, where he reportedly shot himself in the chest. His wife was transported to the hospital by a neighbour.

The husband was found at Sam Rose and transported to Life Midmed Hospital.

Bail hearing detective takes the stand

Constable Detective Jabu Mndebele opened his testimony by saying he understood the matter was a serious gender-based violence case.

He revealed that the woman was shot in her pelvic region, and her urethra burst. She received an operation last year. A secondary operation was also done earlier this year due to internal bleeding.

State prosecutor Advocate Noma Vilakazi asked about the complainant’s statement, which was submitted to the state, as she wanted to know if the victim was in the right state of mind when she gave the detective information.

Mndebele told the court before reading the statement that he visited the victim twice in the hospital to take down her statement, and the victim was of sound mind.

The victim told the detective that she would like her husband to be released from prison, citing that if her husband is kept in jail any longer, he will lose his job, which maintains their lifestyle, which she can’t afford on her own.

She added that her husband pays medical bills that the medical aid doesn’t cover for their autistic son.

The wife said she would move out of the marital home as she had intentionally planned to do.

She said if the court grants him bail, she requests that he report to the police weekly and that he have no contact with her and the children.

The Minister of Police condemns coercion and manipulation allegations

The victim’s statement caught the attention of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who released a press statement on Wednesday.

In the statement, the minister alleged that Dlamini allegedly promised to give his wife R1m to resolve the matter.

“The minister expressed grave concern over recent incidents where victims have been coerced, manipulated, or incentivised into withdrawing their cases. This includes a deeply disturbing case currently before the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court, in which a victim (a married woman), who was shot by the accused (husband) in front of their minor child and subsequently hospitalised in ICU, is said to have submitted a written statement without the knowledge of the investigating officer, requesting the accused’s release on bail,” the statement read.

The statement also added that the state will be opposing bail.

During the bail hearing, it was also heard that Dlamini had allegedly acquired a firearm licence last January in an attempt to kill his wife and himself, but was disturbed by one of their children.

Marital problems leading to the shooting

Mndebele also read a witness statement from a man who lives in the same complex as the couple and is a friend of the accused.

According to the witness, the day before the shooting, he and the accused went out to a restaurant, where the accused told him that he had marital problems.

He said he was planning to kill his wife and himself.

His friend tried to convince him to think about the children.

Apparently, the accused said he wouldn’t kill his wife.

During the time at the restaurant, the man allegedly told his friend that in September, he found out his wife had been unfaithful, and he had videos and pictures of her entering the vehicle of another man.

He allegedly took the licence plate of the vehicle and managed to get the home address of the other man.

The friend drove Dlamini home, and the next day, to his surprise, someone knocked on his door in the evening.

It was the 12-year-old son of the couple; the child said his father had shot his mom, and she was lying on the floor and thought she was dead.

They rushed to the house and took the woman to the hospital.

The detective said there are concerns that if the accused is released on bail, he may attempt to end his life again.

• The matter was postponed to Monday for a further bail hearing.