Durban — A State pathologist will pay from his own pocket for a private typist to speed up the completion of the post-mortem report of a Durban student who was stabbed and killed, allegedly by her boyfriend.
This was revealed by State prosecutor advocate SN Mbokazi on Thursday in the Durban High Court where plea proceedings for Bongani Sanele Mlambo were meant to continue.
Mlambo is alleged to have stabbed his girlfriend Mbatha, a Mangosuthu University Of Technology (MUT) finalyear electrical engineering student, in July in the bathroom of the Ark Royal Residence in Mahatma Gandhi Road.
At his previous court appearance, Mlambo pleaded guilty. He made a brief appearance on Thursday.
The unavailability of the post-mortem report led to the adjournment of the case until Tuesday.
Mbokazi said he had spoken to the doctor responsible for the post-mortem and he had indicated it was not yet ready as there was “tons of typing” to be done. Mbokazi told Judge Sharmaine Balton that he expected the report to be completed by Monday.
Balton had previously said the court was unable to continue or accept Mlambo’s plea without him having had sight of the autopsy report.
“The report must be obtained and given to the defence to look at … I cannot even understand how a guilty plea can be prepared without sight of the post-mortem report,” said Balton.
The mother of slain MUT student Xolile Mbatha who was stabbed multiple times at the institution’s outsourced residence broke down in the Durban High Court gallery as Bongani Sanele Mlambo charged with Mbatha’s murder walked back down into the grids # xolilembatha @DailyNewsSA pic.twitter.com/yjDkHYRCV5
— Anelisa Kubheka (@AnelisaKubheka) October 20, 2022
As Mlambo walked back down from the dock Mbatha’s mother broke down, wailing loudly.
“You took my child away, you might as well have killed me. What am I to do now? It’s better that you kill me. Kill me as well!” she cried as other relatives held her.
The courtroom gallery had been packed with family and MUT students. Outside the court MUT’s EFF Student Command convener Lindokuhle Nxumalo said Mbatha’s murder had affected students at the residence.
“This is not the first time this has happened at MUT. Back in 2018 Zolile (Khumalo) was also killed at Lonsdale residence. We have discussed the safety of students in residences with the institution because in both these incidents the accused were not students,” he said.
Daily News
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