Inanda mother, Thandeka Mhlongo, could not hold back her tears when she saw her son’s alleged killer for the first time in court and she wept even more when he later apologised to her.
Melusi Innocent Khoza, 21, made his first appearance at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on 12 March, in connection with the murder of Durban University of Technology second-year Human Resources student, Sifundo Mhlongo, at the Yusuf Dadoo student residence where he was stabbed, on 7 January.
Khoza was arrested in Isipingo on 10 March following investigations by the Durban Central SAPS. It is unclear at this stage as to why Mhlongo was stabbed, but according to Mhlongo her son had been in a relationship with a young woman who later became Khoza’s girlfriend. She said her son and his ex-girlfriend had still communicated on social media as friends.
Mhlongo said “I buried my son on 17 January with a heavy heart. He was kind and full of life. He worked very hard to make sure his sister and I were happy. He had respect and wanted the best for his family. On 25 February, he would have celebrated his 20th birthday but his life was stolen from him,” said Mhlongo.
She said that she works as a domestic worker but with the help of Sifundo they never went hungry. Khoza’s case was remanded to 18 March for a bail application and for the court to hear his plea. He remains in custody. As he made his way out of the dock and back into the holding cells, Khoza looked at Sifundo’s mother, put his hands together and said he was sorry. This brought more tears to the family who still want answers as to why Sifundo was killed.
Members of the DUT’s Economic Freedom Fighters Student Council and a few of Mhlongo’s relatives were present at court.
