Husband in court for death of his school principal wife in 2022

The elderly mother of murdered schoolteacher Khanyisile Dhlomo, who was found stabbed to death at her Malvern home on September 4 2022, was relieved this week when police arrested her daughter's husband.

Khayelihle Dhlomo, 53, made a brief court appearance in the Durban magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

At the time of the murder Dhlomo said his wife had ended her own life.

“I want him [Dhlomo] behind bars and he should never ever be let off the hook,” she said.

She said her daughter's death had left the family traumatised and they were baffled by it because there was no forced entry into the couple's home. “There was nothing else which we saw behind my daughter's lifeless body outside the house” she said.

She said before her daughter’s death, Dhlomo — who is deputy health minister Sibongiseni Dhlomo's nephew — shared plans to sell a property which was built by Khanyisile before they had met.

During a brief court appearance Dhlomo, who carried a shopping bag, stared straight ahead, avoiding the gaze of his wife's family members, some of whom carried handmade posters calling for bail to be denied.

Senior prosecutor Calvin Govender told magistrate Sicelo Zuma media had requested access to take photographs. 

Dhlomo’s attorney, Nkululeko Zungu, objected, saying he had been made aware of the applications only shortly before proceedings began and asked for the matter to be considered at the next hearing. He said he had also not consulted with his client.

Govender, however, disagreed, saying the proceedings were being heard in an open court where public members were allowed. He also said there was also no need for an identity parade.

Zuma granted the application, citing the freedom of the media and no prejudice to the accused.

Govender said the state was opposed to bail as this was a domestic violence matter. He said state witnesses include Dhlomo’s children, aged 19 and 16,  as well as Khanyisile's mother who lived with them. He asked for a seven-day remand for a bail hearing.

Zungu, however, asked the court to be adjourned to Friday as his client was arrested about 1am on Sunday morning and suffered from a medical condition.

The matter was adjourned to August 5.

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