... her father’s account of events questioned

MATSAPHA – “Do you realise that the reasons given by your father (Mathokoza Makhanya) are unreasonable?”

This question was posed by Lawyer Mangaliso Nkomondze directed to Silindile, a witness in the inquest, when he cross-examined her yesterday.

The lawyer said this was because her father told the coroner that he was allegedly the first to arrive at the scene and this was after he had witnessed the car when it overturned.

He added that according to her father’s evidence, he went to where the car had landed and switched off the engine.

He also told her that according to her father, he did not find the occupants of the car and later on (Monday), he went to the scene to conduct another search with the hope that he would locate the driver.

“Now, a reasonable person would ask himself how come this man did not find anyone at the scene when he was the first one to arrive and switched off the engine,” the lawyer said.

Nkomondze then asked the witness if she realised that the reasons which were given by her father were unreasonable. In response, the witness claimed that her father went to the scene for the second time (on Monday) because he also had the same question – how did he not find the occupants of the car?

“He went there for the second time in search for answers because he had the same question,” the witness submitted.

Thereafter, the lawyer told Silindile that her explanation was fair because she was allegedly talking like her father. He then asked the witness to look at what her father said – that the accident happened right in front of him and he went to the car immediately, thus he found the engine still running. He added that as per her father’s evidence, he and others searched the area, but did not find anyone and on the following day there was a team of police officers, who searched for the occupants, but again, in vain.

Again, he said her father went to conduct another search on Monday, but did not find the occupants, instead, he found a tyre of the car. Then on May 13, 2021, the Nkomonye family found the body of Thabani about 17 metres from the road and it was the shoe (boot) he was wearing that was visible on top the small shrubs.

Missing

Thabani is the 25-year-old man who went missing on May 8, 2021, after the car he was driving was involved in a road traffic accident at Nhlambeni.

After the accident, his body was not located. It was eventually discovered five days later, on May 13, 2021.

The delay in the discovery of Thabani’s body raised questions among a variety in society and diverse insinuations were shared on social media platforms. This resulted in the #JusticeForThabani movement, whereupon members of the public demanded answers from the police.

Thereafter, the then Acting Prime Minister (PM), Themba Masuku, appointed a Coroner, Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini, to lead an inquest into the death of Nkomonye, who was a Law student at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA).