A relative of former president Jacob Zuma, Simphiwe Zuma, was charged while in custody on Monday with a third murder.
Simphiwe Zuma and co-accused Thembelani Mbatha appeared briefly in the Howick magistrate’s court on charges relating to the 2022 murder of Xolani Ndlovu-Ntombela.
The traditional leader of the Zuma clan, Simphiwe Zuma was in custody facing charges for allegedly killing DA councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu in 2023 and is applying for bail in the matter.
In July, when he was arrested for Ndlovu’s murder, he was out on bail after being charged with the murder of Qalokunye Zuma, who was gunned down at home in Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal, in January 2023.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi commended the political killings task team and the National Prosecuting Authority for the breakthrough in the Ndlovu-Ntombela case.
Task team detectives charged Zuma and Mbatha for the killing of Ndlovu-Ntombela, who was shot dead at his home in Mpophomeni in November 2022.
Mkhwanazi said it was suspected that the motive for killing Ndlovu-Ntombela was linked to his effort to expose the illegal sale of land in the Emasosheni area.
“The suspects, aged 55 and 23 years old, were already in custody where one applying for bail and the other is awaiting trial in another case of murder. The suspects were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition,” said Mkhwanazi.
He said the case was one of 121 dockets that were recently returned to the political killings task team in the province.
On July 6, Mkhwanazi alleged there was political interference in the work of the political killings task team and the 121 case dockets had been suppressed to provide political cover for crime syndicates.
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