'I was possessed by demons,' says KZN man convicted of killing two elderly women

A security guard who pleaded guilty to killing two elderly KwaZulu-Natal women on Woman’s Day has apologised to their families, saying he was possessed by demons during the brutal murders.

Thokozani Patrick Mhlongo, 60, was sentenced to two life imprisonment rems in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Monday.

He admitted to killing Zanele Doris Mbuso, 61, and Monica Sophia Xulu, 81, and burying their bodies in a shallow grave in Umgababa, south of Durban, on Women's Day.

He told the court that Xulu had “shared his secret” and gossiped about him and Mbuso had falsely accused him of stealing.

Mhlongo took the stand to testify in mitigation of sentence before judge Nompumelelo Radebe.

Mhlongo appealed to the court to have mercy on him.

He said after he committed the offences he didn’t run away and pleaded guilty.

“I apologise for the crimes I committed. I didn’t know how they happened and things happened too quickly. The devil used me and believed I was possessed by demons. I also apologise to the families. I know how difficult it is for them, but I’m really sorry.

“I didn’t plan to kill them and I don’t know where that came from. It was the heat of a moment and being ruled by a demon. After I killed Xulu I cried and I heard a devil's voice whispering in my ear saying I must kill Mbuso as well because she will tell people what I’ve done. I then ran after her and killed her as well,” he said.

Mhlongo was arrested three days after the discovery of the bodies. 

The women were last seen outside a creche. Mhlongo was employed as a security guard at the creche owned by Xulu, and Mbuso was her assistant.

In his plea, he told the court he met Xulu in October 2014 and approached her for a job as she owned the creche. 

He confided in her that he had no family and his home was destroyed in 1994, and he asked her to keep his background a secret.

However, he was angry when he found out Xulu had shared his “secrets” with other people and they were laughing at him.

Mhlongo said Xulu accused him of stealing food from the creche kitchen.

He had no family because, in 1994, there was fighting between the ANC and the IFP.

People were killed in the area. He said his family was targeted by IFP members because his brother was campaigning for the ANC.

After the murders, relatives and children of the victims asked about the whereabouts of Xulu and Mbuso. He said he denied any knowledge and deceived them into believing a vehicle had taken them away.

Mhlongo’s attorney, Amanda Hulley, pleaded with the court to take into account his age and that he had shown remorse.

Prosecutor advocate Mbongeni Mthembu said Mhlongo had shown no remorse and the killings fell under minimum sentencing.

Xulu had been good to Mhlongo, and he was an ungrateful and selfish person for biting the hand that feeds him.

“You do not kill people for gossiping about you. It’s the first of its kind. The accused targeted them because they were women and I doubt he would have done the same thing if a man was gossiping about him. They were killed in cold blood in a gruesome and barbaric manner. The accused had the audacity to mislead the families when they approached him. At 81, Xulu was still a breadwinner and employed people who were working at a crèche which may be shut down.”

In handing down a sentence, Radebe said Mhlongo told the court he killed Xulu because she revealed his secrets, but he never disclosed the secrets.

Mhlongo had planned the murders as he decided not to use knives, which could have resulted in blood being spilt and implicating him, and thus used strangulation.

“You are proud of what you did and don’t show remorse. The accused has five children who should be looking to him for guidance, but he is not a good example. The two deceased were cornered at their place by a person they trusted. There are no substantial and compelling circumstances provided to the court to deviate from the minimum sentence.”

Radebe sentenced Mhlongo to two life imprisonment terms and three years for theft.

Speaking outside court, Xulu’s grandson Menzi Xulu said though the sentencing would not bring their grandmother back, they were happy with it.

“We had a lot of questions about the incident and today we got answers. We are still not happy with his reasons for killing them because they gossiped about him. You can’t tell me that at the age of 60 they were the first people to gossip about him. I don’t think that was the sole reason. I think there is something beyond that and he’s not sharing it.”

Xulu said the crèche was still operational though it was difficult without his grandmother.

Mbuso’s family declined to comment.

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