Until Monday morning, Tshegofatso Pule’s family had only known her boyfriend, Ntuthuko Ntokozo Shoba, “from a distance”.
But that day, when he made his first court appearance, they came face to face with the 32-year-old accused of masterminding her murder.
“It’s a reopening of old wounds that were beginning to heal‚” Pule’s uncle, Tumisang Katake, said at the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.
His nephew had spoken briefly about Shoba in the past, but the family never encountered him. “The only interaction they had was greeting and he knew him from a distance. There has never been any intimate relationship, apart from [the one he had with Tshegofatso],” he said.
The family had no idea Shoba was married.
“As to whether Tshegofatso knew about that, I can’t confirm.”
Shoba was arrested at his home on Thursday evening after his best friend, Muzikayise Malephane, said in a plea agreement that he had been hired to kill Pule in June because Shoba feared his wife would find out about her pregnancy. She was eight months pregnant at the time.
In court on Monday, Pule’s family wore black “Justice for Tshego and the baby” T-shirts.
Shoba, with beard and bald head‚ wore a black suit and shirt. His ankles were chained.
He appeared calm during his brief appearance on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and defeating the ends of justice.
Last week, Malephane pleaded guilty to murdering Pule‚ alleging Shoba had offered him R70‚000 to kill her.
Malephane said he shot her in the chest and then‚ in a panic‚ tried to make her death look like a suicide by putting a rope around her neck and leaving her body against a tree.
He said he did this after fetching her from Shoba’s house under the pretence of being an e-hail taxi driver.
The court sentenced Malephane to 20 years’ imprisonment for murder and five years for obstructing justice and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition‚ to be served concurrently.
Katake said the family knew Pule was dating Shoba.
“She never reported any forms of violence against her. She never reported any forms of intimidation from the guy‚ but I wouldn’t know what type of relationship they had because it was intimate between the two of them.”
Katake said the family was relieved Shoba had been arrested, but was still in tatters emotionally and psychologically.
“We don’t know why. At this point‚ those are still allegations against him. I’m not sure how they [the family] will handle this going forward. I can only hope that we recover as time goes on‚ but it’s going to be a difficult journey for us,” he said.
The matter was postponed to March 1 for a formal bail application.
