A 22-year-old man who was recently arrested for the murder of an Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) member made his first appearance in the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Sithembiso Xulu is accused of killing IFP member and Imbabazane constituency interim chairperson Mthokozisi Ngqungqulu Sithole.

The court proceedings were attended by the family of the deceased, and members of the IFP that included Inkosi Langalibalele Mayor Mduduzi Myeza, deputy mayor Sithabiso Dladla, municipal manager SB Mthembu, speaker Siphiwenkosi Khumalo and other IFP councillors.

Sithole was gunned down on January 27, and laid to rest on February 2, during a funeral service held at the family home in Weenen, proceeding to the Weenen tennis grounds, where hundreds of IFP members packed the marquee.

The court heard the accused had been convicted in a 2019 murder case and sentenced to six years in jail, but the sentence was suspended. The court further heard the accused will still need to obtain a Legal Aid lawyer.

The case was postponed to Friday when the accused will make a formal application for a lawyer in the Weenen Magistrate’s Court. Until then, he has been remanded back into custody.