Cape Town - The Western Cape High Court is set to sentence convicted killer Siyabonga Mbotyi this week after he was found guilty of viciously attacking the mother of his child and mutilating her genitals as she allegedly had failed to cook supper for him.
The 34-year-old man from Strand was found guilty of strangling young mom Nandipha Nthimkulu, to death and later placing her genitals in a chips packet as he fled the scene.
During the shocking trial earlier this month tears flowed as neighbours took the stand to describe the scene.
According to the State’s case, Nandipha, was killed on 25 October 2019 amid an argument with her boyfriend. The couple had just welcomed their newborn baby and Nandipha was at home being visited by Mbotyi’s sisters when he arrived home.
The State alleged he had become infuriated when he realised she had not made food for him and removed her genitals with a glass bottle after strangling her.
Mbotyi pleaded not guilty to all the charges but the State produced a chilling confession he gave police following his arrest.
In it he claimed he arrived home and asked Nandipha for food but claimed she was drunk.
He said he started shouting at her and questioned why she had not washed his clothes and when she shouted back at him he pounced and started strangling her.
“I then started to punch her with my hand against her neck … While we were fighting, I choke [sic] her. While I was busy choking her, I put my girlfriend on the floor.”
He told cops that in the struggle, Nandipha grabbed the blanket and the couple’s one-month-old baby fell off the bed but not even this deterred him. “I choke her until she died.” Taking the stand, he denied the testimony by his own sister Nthombemb Wayiza, who told the court the next morning he returned to the shack with dry blood on his hands.
She saw him throw a chips packet on the roof of the shack which was later found to be the packet of mutilated body parts.
Mbotyi denied being present on the night of the murder saying instead he went to buy meat in Grabouw.
Closing his testimony he told the court he loved Nandipha: “I love her, she is the mother of my child”.
Mbotyi was found guilty on one count of murder and one of mutilating a corpse.
The State called for no less than a life sentence as the murder had rocked the community and left the young child motherless.