Old Coronation man accused of girlfriend’s murder granted bail
The man is facing charges of murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of unlicensed ammunition.
The man accused of shooting and killing his partner, Lindiwe Mngomezulu (40), appeared in the Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court today and was granted bail of R2 000.
The man faces three charges, including murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of unlicensed ammunition.
The charges stem from the events of the evening of May 8, when Mngomezulu was shot dead in the couple’s home in Old Coronation.
Initial reports had stated that Mngomezulu had been sitting with her boyfriend and two neighbours, drinking beers that evening. After the neighbours left, they heard two gunshots ring out. Alarmed, they rushed back and found the suspect allegedly holding a handgun while Mngomezulu lay bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head. Police arrested the suspect at the scene and seized a 9mm pistol with ten rounds of ammunition.
Through his lawyer, the accused stated that he had no intention to kill Mngomezulu. He claimed that he was also in the process of renewing his firearm license at the time the incident occurred.
The victim’s family, particularly her sister Loliwe Ngwenya, had previously stressed that releasing the suspect could endanger others and urged the public to continue demanding justice.
READ MORE: Woman shot dead in Old Coronation, alleged GBV
Mngomezulu was laid to rest on May 16 at her home in the Free State.
Community activists and organisations such as All Voices Matter have condemned the killing, stressing that arrests alone are not enough and calling for systemic change to protect women from gender-based violence.
The accused is expected to return to court on July 8, when proceedings will continue.
“I am shocked that a man accused of murdering his partner was granted R2000 bail when a weapon linked to the killing was seized by police. This sends a dangerous message that gender-based violence and femicide are not being taken seriously,” said Abongile Mcoki, a local GBV activist.
“I’m calling on the courts and the NPA to review how bail is set in GBVF and murder cases. Justice must protect the living, not just follow procedure. We cannot keep telling women to speak up if the system lets the accused walk free for the price of a grocery shop. The public is watching, and we will keep speaking out until the courts show that they value women’s lives,” she added.
Woman shot dead in another GBV incident in Old Coronation
— WitbankNews (@WitbankN) May 11, 2026
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