Durban — The anticipated ruling in the suitcase double murder trial was postponed to Thursday.
Acting Judge Sibisi had been meant to deliver his judgment on Tuesday in the Durban High Court, however he said that he was not ready to, and postponed this to Thursday.
Slindile Pamela Zamisa and her daughter Andile Zamisa have been on trial for the 2020 kidnapping and murders of Simangele Simamane and her 12-year-old daughter Sbongakonke Mthembu.
“I apologise to both the accused and anybody who has an interest in the matter. It was really beyond my control. I hope you understand,” said Sibisi.
Nomfundo True Love Ngcobo and Sthembiso Nicholas Lamula were convicted and sentenced in 2021 for their part in the murders and disposal of the bodies.
Ngcobo who is Zamisa’s (Slindile) stepdaughter is serving 20 years while Lamula who had been Zamisa’s (Slindile) lover is serving six years for helping dump the bodies.
A teenager who had been present and allegedly took part in Simamane’s assault leading to her murder is expected to tender in her guilty plea before Judge Esther Steyn on Wednesday.
Simamane was tortured where she had four kettles of boiling water poured on to her body and strangled with a rope, and had a shovel pressed against her neck. This was evidence that was heard during the trial.
The court also heard how the attack on Simamane had been spurred by a prophecy from a relative that Simamane had been among those who murdered Bheki Ngcobo, who was Zamisa’s (Slindile) late husband.
Nomfundo True Love Ngcobo told the court that the details shared by this relative of how her father even had his eyes gouged out had infuriated her and they assaulted Simamane with their hands as well as a plastic pipe.
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