A man appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday for the brutal murder of a 27-year-old woman who was found burnt last year in the Eston-Illovo area.

Sifiso Zungu was remanded in custody until August 10, where the next court hearing will take place.

Nkosikhona Zondo (27), who was job hunting at the time, went missing in August last year after receiving a call from an unknown man, instructing her to report for duty on August 8, 2022.

Her remains were found by farm workers in a sugarcane field a few days later.

Zondo was also pregnant at the time of her death.

Following her murder, Zungu was arrested in October and charged. The case, which was previously held in the Richmond Magistrate’s Court, was transferred to the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

Social workers and civil society organisations protested outside court, calling for the judge to hand a stiff sentence.

Department of social development

Speaking on the presence of social workers outside the court in support of Zondo, provincial Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said it symbolises the collective commitment to champion social justice, equity and fairness.

“Our social workers stand shoulder to shoulder, ready to provide invaluable support to the victims of gender-based violence. Our aim is to be a source of solace, guidance and understanding during these challenging times.

” We advocate for justice, but we also advocate for humanity. We want to see all abusers held accountable for their actions. We are equally encouraged by the community members who stand with us in dealing with these cases.”