No mental hospital date for child killing accused till August

THE mother of an allegedly mentally disturbed man accused of stabbing his five-year-old niece to death last week was yesterday called to testify in the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court.

Andile Maqabangqa, 38, was arrested in Minningberg last Wednesday and charged with killing Zizipho Maqabangqa.

He made his first court appearance on Friday and the matter was postponed to yesterday for further investigation.

The defence hinted on Friday that a relative would have to be called to testify on his mental fitness since Maqabangqa seemed to find it difficult to understand court proceedings and was not cooperating with court orderlies.

Yesterday his 70-year-old mother, Joyce Maqabangqa, who Andile is accused of stabbing, stood before presiding magistrate Nceba Madiba, state prosecutor Cwayita Ngona and her son’s Legal Aid Board attorney Bongelwa Manjingolo and gave a brief history of his mental illness.

Acknowledging her efforts, the magistrate said Maqabangqa had to be sent to the Fort England Psychiatric Hospital in Grahamstown for a full observation.

The court further heard the hospital was full and a bed for the accused would only be available in August.

The matter was postponed to March 2 for further investigation. Maqabangqa was remanded in custody.

In attendance was his sister and the mother of the deceased, Ntombekhaya Maqabangqa. She lives and works in Cape Town.

The Grade R pupil was stabbed in the heart during the incident, and when her grandmother and guardian Joyce Maqabanqa came to her rescue she was stabbed in her upper chest.

Zizipho died on her way to hospital. She was buried on Friday. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za