Durban — The family of an Eastern Cape woman who was murdered and found torched in her car in KwaZulu-Natal is disappointed that the trial which was meant to start this week was adjourned to next year.
Sfiso Professor Ndlovu, 46, accused of killing his estranged wife Kulukazi Ndlovu, 39, and burning her inside her car in April 2020, appeared briefly in the Durban High Court.
He was arrested nearly six months after the charred body of Kulukazi was found.
The couple, who did not have any children, lived in Phoenix.
Kulukazi had been missing for a few days when her car was found burnt and abandoned in a cemetery in Molweni. She had moved out of their Phoenix home and was renting accommodation in the area at the time of her disappearance.
Kulukazi’s younger sister, Qaqamba Bada, said they had been waiting in anticipation for the trial to finally start two years after her sister’s murder, however, it seemed the family’s anguish would drag on for another 9 months.
Bada who was in court this week said they had relatives who travelled from the Eastern Cape, including her father, for the start of the trial.
“They said there was no judge available as the judge in that court had a full diary and the trial could only be heard in May.”
She said the family, in a bid to draw attention to their outrage over the brutal murder, paid for the transportation of supporters to court.
“We want the court to see that we are angry and have had enough of Gender-Based Violence.”
The family was still trying to cope with her sister’s passing but the way things had unfolded did not make it easy to find closure, she said.
The first blow was the murder and its brutal nature and then having to wait nearly a year before burying Kulukazi as they had to wait for DNA confirmation that the recovered charred remains had indeed been hers.
“Our father is still devastated by the ordeal, we had hoped the start of the trial would be the first step in bringing closure to our family. We had hoped that from the trial we would get answers and finally justice for my sister.”
Ahead of Ndlovu’s anticipated trial, on Monday, Bada took to social media calling for support for the family. She posted on Facebook asking those who would attend to wear black with a touch of red and to also carry a candle to honour all women who had died as a result of GBV in the province.
“Join us as we stand in solidarity and demand that justice be served for Kulukazi & all the other womxn who have died at the hands of men who claimed to love them,” read her post.
Ndlovu has been out on bail since December 2020.
Daily News