Father of slain girl makes U-turn in Mdluli case

JOHANNESBURG: The father of the dead Tshidi Buthelezi made a U-turn on evidence he had earlier given and admitted in the Johannesburg High Court yesterday that he knew that his daughter was married to the murdered Oupa Ramogibe.

Johnson Buthelezi was testifying during the trial of former intelligence boss Richard Mdluli who was appearing with his co-accused Mthembeni Mthunzi who are facing charges of intimidation, kidnapping and assault.

Earlier, Buthelezi denied knowing anything about his daughter getting married to Ramogibe and told the court that he recognised Mdluli as his son-in-law because he paid lobola of about R6 000 and had two children with his daughter, one was still born.

He told the court Mdluli was a good husband because after lobola he took Tshidi to stay with him and also paid for her studies.

“I wouldn’t have agreed for Mdluli to stay with my daughter if I felt she wouldn’t be cared for,” Buthelezi told prosecutor Zaais Van Zyl.

During cross-examination, he suddenly admitted that he actually heard about Ramogibe, he said he first got wind about the dead man from his children and this was later confirmed when Mdluli came to him to complain that Tshidi was seeing another man.

Van Zyl asked Buthelezi if he had questioned Tshidi about her affair with Ramogibe.

“I never got a chance to confront Tshidi because she was sick and in hospital, after she was was discharged she went to stay with her mother and she took her to St Francis because she was now critical.”

The 74-year-old said he saw Ramogibe and Tshidi’s marriage certificate after her funeral and claimed his ex-wife hid information.

Van Zyl read notes which were taken by investigating officer Kobus Roelofse in a visit to Buthelezi’s house.

In the notes, Roelofse claims that during conversation Buthelezi mentioned that his daughter was kidnapped by Mdluli for the whole year.

He denied ever discussing such with Roelofse.

“How can Mdluli kidnap Tshidi while they were staying together,” he said, looking puzzled.

The matter was postponed to tomorrow.