Jacob Zuma relative charged with a third murder while in prison

A close relative of former president Jacob Zuma, inkhosi Simphiwe Zuma of the Amanxamalala clan in Impendle in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, has been charged with a third murder while in prison.

Zuma, 55, who is in custody for a string of serious cases, has been slapped with yet another murder charge, this time of Xolani Ndlovu-Ntombela.

The leader of the Zuma clan, who is in police custody for the 2023 murder of DA councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, and is still applying for bail in that matter, has been charged for a third murder.

When he was arrested in July for murdering Ndlovu, he was out on bail after being charged with murdering Induna Qalokunye Zuma, who was gunned down at his home in Impendle in January 2023.

In that matter, Zuma was granted bail by the Impendle magistrate’s court in July and was rearrested for another murder a few weeks later.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi commended the political killings task team members and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a breakthrough in the murder of Ndlovu-Ntombela.

This after the task team detectives charged Zuma and his co-accused Thembelani Mbatha for killing Ndlovu-Ntombela, who was shot dead at his home in Mpophomeni in November 2022.

According to Mkhwanazi, the motive for the killing of Ndlovu-Ntombela was linked to the illegal sale of land at Emasosheni area which he was exposing.

“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 this case is one of the 121 dockets which were recently returned to the political killings task team in the province.

Zuma and Mbatha appeared briefly at the Howick magistrate's court on Monday on charges of murder.

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