KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, has welcomed the guilty plea by Njabulo Ndlovu, who appeared before the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

Ndlovu (29) pleaded guilty to the murders of Zenande Ndlela (7), her mother Simangele Ndlela, (46) and her grandmother Zanele Ndlela (65). He is also accused of raping the seven-year-old girl twice.

It is alleged that Ndlovu strangled the deceased and raped the child twice in their home in Sobantu Township, two weeks ago.

In his statement presented by his legal representative before the court, Ndlovu stated that he had spent a night in the house after having drinks and had consensual sex with his 46-year-old victim earlier.

Nldovu said the grandmother came into the bedroom with a kitchen knife, demanding that he leave her house and a scuffle ensued.

He said he stabbed the grandmother three times and strangled her to death. Thereafter, he murdered the mother and later raped the young girl twice before strangling her to death.

Ndlovu also accepted all the doctor’s pathology reports regarding the deceased cause of death.

Judge Poyo Dlwati found Ndlovu guilty on all charges.

Khoza commended the investigating team for a sterling investigative work, which resulted in Ndlovu’s imprisonment for a long time.

“It is clear that Ndlovu’s actions were premeditated. We are in so much pain by the murder of defenceless women.

“Although the conviction will not bring them back, we are pleased by the work done by the police in investigating this case, which ensured quick finality,” Khoza said.

The MEC said Ndlovu’s sentencing would bring more confidence to the country’s criminal justice system.

“For police to secure convictions means that the people of Sobantu, especially women, will be able to walk freely. People who are accused of such atrocious crimes must face imprisonment.

“We don’t need people who commit such horrendous crimes to remain in our society. The sentence should serve as a lesson to all serial killers, serial rapists and criminals that their rights are not absolute,” the MEC said.

Khoza also emphasised that police need to conduct thorough and good investigations in all cases of gender-based violence and leave no stone unturned.

“Courts should not have mercy on people who abuse, rape and kill vulnerable women and children.”

She added that whilst it is pleasing that police arrest suspects, ‘what is even [more] crucial going forward is to secure harsher sentences’.

“It is for this reason that we also encourage our communities to allow police to do their job and avoid taking the law into their own hands. We are pleased that although the community of Sobantu was aggrieved, but remained calm until the case reached its finality,” she said.

Ndlovu will be sentenced on Thursday. The state wants to apply for sentencing without parole. – SAnews.gov.za