A Pietermaritzburg judge had to appeal to members of a packed gallery to compose themselves on Tuesday. This after they cried out upon hearing graphic details of the final moments of a grandmother, mother and her daughter at their home two weeks ago.
Njabulo Ndlovu, 29, pleaded guilty to murdering Zanele Ndlela, 65, her daughter Simangele Ndlela, 46, and seven-year-old granddaughter Zenande in Sobantu in the Pietermaritzburg high court. He also raped the child.
In his plea Ndlovu, through his legal representative Amanda Hulley, said he spent a night at the Ndlela house after having drinks with family members and friends.
He said he had consensual sex with Simangele, but an outraged Zanele came into the bedroom and demanded he leave her house at about 1am. She brandished a kitchen knife and a scuffle ensued.
“I was angry, so I tried to kill her for trying to harm me. I removed my knee [from her neck] and tried to strangle her with my left hand. I used the knife to stab her once on her neck and above her eye.”
Ndlovu then strangled her until she foamed at the mouth and was lifeless.
Thereafter, Simangele awoke to find her mother’s lifeless body on the floor and demanded to know what he had done to her.
“She then tried to dispossess me of the knife and push me from the bed. The knife fell on the floor and we both grabbed each other and fought. Instead of running away, I decided to kill her,’’ he said.
He then strangled Simangele.
Ndlovu said he was still naked when a terrified Zenande ran into the room and saw her grandmother on the floor and her mother on the bed.
The grade 2 pupil tried to scream but couldn’t as Ndlovu covered her mouth. He then raped and strangled her.
Prosecutor Candy Kander went through the postmortems which laid bare the extent of the injuries the deceased suffered.
“In addition to postmortems, there is a photo album which shows the extent of the brutality. These injuries portray the accused as a violent man [with] no respect for fellow humans and women,” she said.
Kander argued Ndlovu handled his victims with disdain and had “ample opportunity” to leave the room before the crimes.
She said he had previous run-ins with the law, having been convicted of car theft in February 2020, a conviction that was wholly suspended.
Kander also highlighted victim impact statements provided by community member Siphiwe Hadebe, family member Thandeka Dube and Phumzile Mpulo, a teacher at the school Zenande attended.
She said upon learning of Ndlovu’s personal circumstances and upbringing she was left baffled.
“He has a stable background and fixed employment. He also had the love and care of parents,” said Kander.
Family member Thandeka Ndlela-Dube described Ndlovu as “a monster” who did not deserve to live in public, feeling he should also be punished in the same manner he tortured his victims.
“He has brought misery to the lives of the family and that of the community. He is deserving of a lengthy prison sentence,’’ said Ndlela-Dube.
Judge Poyo Dlwati found Ndlovu guilty on all three charges and dismissed a plea from him that he be held in an isolation cell for safety reasons.
Earlier in the day, Sobantu residents protested outside the court, while KZN social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza commended the investigating team for its work.
“We are in so much pain because of the murder of defenceless women. Though the conviction will not bring them back, we find comfort that this heartless man will spend his life in prison. We are pleased with the work done by the police in investigating this case, which ensured quick finality,” she said.
Khoza said the sentencing of Ndlovu would instil more confidence in the criminal justice system.
“For police to secure convictions means the people of Sobantu, especially women, will be able to walk freely. People who are accused of such atrocious crimes must face imprisonment. We don’t need people who commit such horrendous crimes to remain in our society,” said Khoza.
In all cases of gender-based violence police need to conduct thorough investigations and courts should not have mercy on people who abuse, rape and kill vulnerable women and children, she said.
“It is for this reason that we encourage communities to allow police to do their job and avoid taking the law into their own hands. We are pleased that although the community of Sobantu was aggrieved, [its members] remained calm until the case reached its finality.
“Our country deserves to have people who respect the laws, as enshrined in the constitution and other pieces of legislation. We want all criminals to understand that without any fear or favour, our criminal justice system will make sure we remove them from society and put them where they belong — in jail,” said Khoza.
Ndlovu will be sentenced on July 21.
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