Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

4 March 2024


The alleged serial rapist and murderer, Themba Shongwe, from eMbalenhle, made several appearances at the Secunda Magistrate Court in February for the continuation of his trial.

Shongwe is on trial for the murder and rape of four young girls in eMbalenhle.

The trial resumed on Wednesday, 14 February 2024.

Zodwa Zuma, the late Lerato Nkutha’s mother, took to the stand to testify on the events that took place in May 2018 when Lerato went missing.

Zuma told the court that Lerato came back from school, and she asked her for a R20 to go buy kota (bunny chow).

With panic after realizing Lerato was taking time to get back from the shop, Zuma proceeded to the shop to check Lerato’s whereabouts, only to find that she had not made it to the Kota shop.

On the stand, Zuma further claimed that when she went to open a case of a missing person at the eMbalenhle police station, they dismissed her, saying her daughter could be with a boyfriend.

The family then proceeded to Secunda police station, where they were assisted by the members of the K9 unit, who helped search for Lerato until late at night.

Zuma further testified that she had an encounter with the accused the next day, and he advised her to go with the search party in the Marikana section, where there are reeds and water, alleging that Lerato’s body could have been dumped there.

Zuma broke down in tears as the defense cross-examined her testimony, saying it was heartbreaking to have to repeat what she had already testified about, which was like reliving the trauma she went through.

The defense put it to Zuma that the accused will testify on the witness stand and deny ever meeting her on the street.

The accused, through his attorney, alleged that he was sleeping throughout that day due to being hung over as he was drinking the previous night, so it is impossible that he had seen Zuma at all.

Forensic experts have testified that only three DNA samples linked the accused to the crimes out of the four crime kits sent to the forensic laboratory in Pretoria.

The accused, through his attorney, alleged that the swab taken from him had been tempered with by the police.

The trial has been postponed to  26 and 27 March 2024 for continuation.