Deputy minister angry over MUT residence

ALL that’s left of Zolile Khumalo’s presence in Room 101 at her Lonsdale residence in Durban is the mattress she slept on and the tiny desk she studied at.

Everything else owned by the young woman and her roommate in what was once a colourful room for the Mangosuthu University of Technology students, has been cleared. The memory of how Khumalo was murdered now makes the room feel dark and cold.

On May 3, she was shot dead in the room, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend, Thabani Mzolo.

Her roommate, who witnessed the incident, has been taken to a place of safety.

Directors of Hotel Lonsdale have now come under fire over poor security measures, by Deputy Minister of Police, Bongani Mkongi. This follows disclosures that Mzolo had entered the residence with a n illegal firearm.

At the Durban Magistrates Court on Thursday, state prosecutor, Calvin Govender, said Mzolo allegedly shot Khumalo twice with an illegal firearm, and then kicked her limp body. The case has been adjourned to June 19 for Mzolo’s bail application.

At his first court appearance, Mzolo had made a trigger sign when being taken into the court holding cells. Before leaving court on Thursday, Mzolo showed his middle finger to a journalist. This spurring Mkongi’s anger. After the court adjourned, Mkongi toured the Lonsdale residence alongside Khumalo’s family who, for the first time, saw where their daughter was killed.

Khumalo’s father, Comfort, told the Sunday Tribune that his little girl loved to dance. Her friends nicknamed Zolile “Babes Wodumo”.

“Zolile never deserved to die, no, not like this,” said Khumalo.

After spotting windows without burglar guards, and only a tiny desk for students to study, Mkongi fired questions at a director of the Lonsdale residence, Viyase Dass, who has described the place as “the best student accommodation in Durban.”

“Have you ever been a student?” he asked, referring to sub-standard living conditions.

He also questioned Dass about security.

Only a turnstile at the Lonsdale ground floor controls to the residence which is under renovation. The building, Mkongi said, was easily accessible to thieves and rapists.

“Why did you apply to the institution (MUT) for student accomodation (to host students) when you do not have proper security?

“Don’t chase told Dass. money,” he

“The accused would have easily gained access to this building, it’s an open space. There is no security, and only one elevator with no evacuation plans. If this building burns we will lose all these students. There is a problem with this building, the institution must review where we house our students.”

Mkongi was furious after learning that the almost 600 MUT students who stayed at the residences were NSFAS beneficiaries, which means that government partially funds their accommodation.

Mzolo’s arrest and court appearances have seen fervent #Justiceforzolile demonstrations by students.