Court packed as Mthatha doctor faces off against estranged husband

A prominent Mthatha doctor’s estranged husband, facing charges of attempted murder and contravention of a protection order, is applying to be released on bail.

Siphiwo Mngxali appeared in the Mthatha magistrate’s court yesterday, facing off against his wife, Dr Yolisa Siphambo-Mngxali, genderbased violence organisations, her colleagues and politicians, who were all against his release.

Mngxali, a businessman, handed himself over to the police at the Mthatha Central police station on March 8.

Mngxali had been wanted by police over allegations that he breached a protection order his wife had taken out against him and broke into her Fort Gale home on February 26.

He is also alleged to have shot at a witness in the house who confronted him.

The state alleges that Mngxali, along with another individual, arrived at the house in a car with no number plates.

He is alleged to have charged towards the house carrying two 5l containers of petrol after he allegedly broke in, making off with a bar fridge, a television set, a microwave and a kettle.

Detective Constable Wandile Tshaka told magistrate Melikhaya Dyakopi that Mngxali’s potential release would place the doctor’s life at risk, along with those of the two people who were in the house on the night of the alleged break-in.

Siphambo-Mngxali was in the public gallery along with other family members.

Tshaka said SiphamboMngxali had taken out three protection orders against her husband, one in Mthatha in January and two in East London dating back to 2021.

Tshaka said the state had video footage of the alleged break-in, and SiphamboMngxali had confirmed the intruder was allegedly her husband.

“The state’s case is very strong against him. Witnesses know him very well.

“We have a protection order against him, and one of the conditions says he must not enter those premises.

“He breached it by going inside.”

Two letters handed in to the court, one from the OR Tambo ANC Women’s League and the other from a group of genderbased violence organisations, called for Mngxali to be denied bail.

Advocate Lusindiso Matotie, for Mngxali, objected to the submission of a third letter from the Medical Women Association of SA.

The court was packed with supporters of the doctor, including ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi and OR Tambo ANC region deputy chair Ntandokazi Capa.

Outside, scores of the doctor’s supporters sang songs.

Tshaka told the court: “The life of [the wife] would be at risk.

“The wife stays in a place of safety because she fears for her life, but asked to be here.

“She is badly affected by this.”

Tshaka said if Mngxali were released, the doctor would be unable to work, and this could lead to her employees losing their jobs.

In addition, her patients would suffer.

Tshaka referred to an alleged history of psychological and emotional abuse in the marriage.

At one point, Mngxali had allegedly pointed a gun at his wife and threatened to kill her.

“The community depends on us, the prosecution and the court, to protect them.

“I believe [if released] the accused might undermine bail conditions ...

“He could hide evidence because he has not produced the firearm [used during the alleged break-in] and has refused

‘The state’s case is very strong against him. Witnesses know him very well. We have a protection order against him, and one of the conditions says he must not enter those premises’

to name the person he was with.

“The firearm he [allegedly] pointed at her before he was taken by the police.

“He has the means of acquiring firearms.”

Earlier, another witness, Linda Mabula, told the court Mngxali was with her on the night in question.

Mabula stuck to her version despite the prosecutor, Mlungisi Cele, putting it to her that she was fabricating her evidence.

On March 13, SiphamboMngxali wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa calling on him to intervene and to take steps to ensure her safety.

In the 12-page letter, the doctor details years of alleged abuse at the hands of her husband, whom she said she met while she was a pupil at St John’s College, where Mngxali was a teacher before resigning.

The couple were married in 1996, and she alleges that the abuse started in 2008.

Olwethu Yolande Mngxali, the couple’s daughter, has started an online petition calling for bail to be denied.

By late yesterday, it had garnered nearly 30,000 signatures.

Matotie will continue crossexamining Tshaka today.