Man accused of killing mistress
Protesters demand that bail is denied
The community of Ntabethemba, Tentergate, supported by the area s ’ ANC structures, protested outside the local magistrate s court on
’
Wednesday when a 63-year-old man appeared, accused of murdering his mistress, Simamkele Kambi, last week. Just three days after Women s Month
’ ended, 31-year-old Kambi s body was
’ found at her alleged killer s home in
’
Tentergate, last Thursday afternoon. Kambi s sister, Mihlali, said her
’ younger sister had allegedly endured an abusive relationship with the married man since 2017, and that she had regularly advised her to leave him.
Mihlali said her sister and the accused had allegedly quarreled on the day, and he had gone to fetch her from a local tavern that night.
On Thursday morning we went to
“ the accused s house like we normally
’ did and had some beverages outside while we waited for him and my sister. However, he behaved very strangely “when he did not allow us to enter and kept saying my sister was asleep.
At the back of my mind I thought my “sister had been badly beaten because that was the norm, and that she was embarrassed to come out. We continued to sit outside, and he occasionally came out to attend to people looking for him. Eventually one of his friends came
“looking for him and my aunt persuaded him to go into their room and look for my sister. He had to force his way into the room, where he found my sister dead.”
Mihlali said the accused s
’ brother, who had no idea of the incident, took him to the police station to report what he had done. It was, and still is, a painful time “for the family and the whole village. We are hurt and disgusted by
“the way my sister was killed.
I keep asking myself if my sister “had not listened when we discussed gender-based violence in her presence or when public service announcements were made.”
She said when the family went to view the body at the state mortuary, Kambi had stab wounds on the arm, strangulation marks on her neck and bruises all over her body.
The Ntabethemba ANC branch, with its women s and youth leagues,
’ came out in numbers to campaign against the accused being granted bail, and to support the family.
Condemning the incident, ANC Ntabethemba ward councillor and branch chairperson Nkululelo Ngcefe said: We men are disgusted
“to have something like this done to yet another woman after all the campaigns against GBV.
The organisation decided to
“support the family and stand against GBV.
The accused should be denied
“bail. He is not welcome in our community until justice that equates to his crime is served. Women have become anxious
“since the incident happened and we fear for those who continue to suffer at the hands of men.”
Ngcefe said the accused had taken the life of someone who had taken care of her sickly brother, and who would now not have anyone to look after him.
It is a sad state of affairs. The
“family lost someone who had a great responsibility of nursing her sickly brother. She was loved by her family, friends and community members, but her life was cut short.
We extend our deepest
“condolences and promise to continue protecting and standing with women in the fight against GBV because it is not theirs alone.”
Police spokesperson Capt Namhla Mdleleni said the case was postponed to September 30 for a formal bail application.