Axe man refused to use condom

22 November 2012 - 16:16 By Sapa
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Joseph Ntshongwana, a former Blue Bulls rugby player, is on trial in the Durban High Court accused of killing three men with an axe during an alleged rampage.
Joseph Ntshongwana, a former Blue Bulls rugby player, is on trial in the Durban High Court accused of killing three men with an axe during an alleged rampage.
Image: TEBOGO LETSIE

Former Blue Bulls rugby player Phindile Joseph Ntshongwana refused to use a condom when he allegedly raped a woman, the Durban High Court heard on Thursday.

"I asked him to use a condom seeing that he was going to have sex with me. He refused," testified the woman, who cannot be identified.

Ntshongwana is charged with the murder of Thembelenkosini Cebekhulu in Montclair, Durban, on March 20, 2011, Paulos Hlongwa two days later, Simon Ngidi the following day, and an unidentified man sometime that week. All were hacked to death with an axe.

He is also accused of kidnapping and raping a woman on November 28, 2010, and with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. He faces two further charges of attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Ntshongwana allegedly kidnapped her as she was walking in central Durban. The woman told the court that she just lay in bed when Ntshongwana was raping her.

"He kept on talking, asking me if I was enjoying it. How does it feel? But I didn't respond until he finished," she said.

The next morning she tried to send her sister an SMS as Ntshongwana was sleeping, but he woke up and shouted at her.

The woman explained to Ntshongwana that she was trying to send her sister a message, but he got angry, pulled her by hair and said she was lying. He allowed her to send her sister an SMS, but told her what to write.

"He told me to say I was with a wonderful man and I was all right."

Ntshongwana went to make breakfast for the woman. While he was out of the room, she tried to escape through the window, but there were burglar bars. During breakfast he told her she was the reason their families were no longer on good terms.

"I didn't know what to say because I didn't know his family. It was my first time seeing him," she said.

During the day, Ntshongwana read his Bible and gave the woman a book to read.

At night, Ntshongwana had sex with her again. She asked him to use a condom, but again he refused. The next day, Ntshongwana instructed her to go with him to fetch a firearm in Umlazi, south of Durban.

Ntshongwana assaulted her when she tried to escape as they were leaving the house.

"He slapped me on my cheek, put me in his vehicle and drove out."

Ntshongwana failed to get the gun from the man he met in Umlazi. She told the court Ntshongwana was angry and asked her questions she did not have answers to during their time together. She sobbed as she gave her evidence.

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