TUT student Ntokozo Xaba’s murder accused abandons bail, case postponed

The murder case of Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) student Ntokozo Xaba has been postponed after her alleged killer abandoned his bail application.

Bail application

Junior Blue Bulls player, Ngcebo Thusi, made his second appearance at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Monday in connection to Xaba’s murder.

Thusi is facing charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice after his ex-girlfriend was found dead at her off-campus residence in Pretoria.

The suspect has since provisionally abandoned his bid for bail, with the case being adjourned until March.

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The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has indicated that the state will oppose any future bail application brought by Thusi should he do so.

“The accused abandoned bail in the matter. The state had intended to oppose bail [and] even if he intends on bringing a bail application in the future, we will definitely oppose it.

“The matter has been postponed to 30 March, for further investigations,” NPA Lumka Mahanjana told reporters outside the court on Monday.

Ngcebo Thusi who is accused of the murder of Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) student #NtokozoXaba has provissionally abandoned bail @TimesLIVE pic.twitter.com/O8iVuKGQmg

— Shonisani Tshikalange (@21shoni) February 13, 2023

‘Enough is enough’

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Naledi Mpungose, who attended the court proceedings, lamented the rising incidents of gender-based violence (GBV).

“Having seen the perpetrator, having seen his reaction and the arrogance on his face, I doubt it’s because there’s remorse or regretfulness on his part.

“The issue of GBV and femicide is one that needs us to stand together and say enough is enough because it has been constantly happening each and every day, in fact, we have now tripled our usual statistics. Usually it’s three women who die a day now we are up to 10 and it’s even worse for men, but also at the hands of people who think that human life does not matter,” she said.

READ MORE: Gender-based violence in SA remains a difficult issue to tackle

“Our justice system should not have the liberty to have cases of this manner carry on for three years. We are saying to the justice and policing system that the time to arrest perpetrators and then release them through bail must come to an end because they take these perpetrators who continue to do the same thing and put them back into our communities.

“Even with this case, it was not the first time that [the victim] has interacted with the policing system. She reported this guy in August last year, and they did not take her seriously.”

21st birthday

Xaba’s body with multiple stab wounds was found at the university’s Ekhaya Junction residence by friends when they went to check on her, according to the NPA.

It is the alleged that Thusi was the last person to leave the 20-year-old third year student place following a social gathering at her place of residence on 1 February.

According to TUT, Xaba would have celebrated her 21st birthday on Sunday, 12 February.

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