Boyfriend of slain Soweto woman remanded in custody after body found under bed

The body of Ithabeleng Motleleng (20) was discovered by her family and police in Protea South, Soweto, on Friday, 30 May, after she had been missing for about a week. Her body was wrapped up and tucked under the bed in the shack she shared with her boyfriend, Zacharia Nonyane (27).

“I last saw her on Sunday [25 May]. She was [coming] from the mall where she said she was sent by her boyfriend to buy some KFC,” said Motleleng’s mother, Francina Nyedimane (56).

She said that the following morning, Nonyane came to her home and asked where Motleleng was. Nyedimane said maybe she was at a computer class at a nearby hall.

On Tuesday, Nonyane came to the house again and asked where Motleleng was. Family members told him that he should know Motleleng’s whereabouts, as they lived together.

“On Wednesday, he called, and when he called, he was fighting on the phone. He then told me that he last saw my daughter on Monday and he kicked her out because they had a fight,” said Nyedimane.

“I then asked him to post her in the local group as a missing person. I told him that if I get nothing on the post comments, I will go to the police station and report her as a missing person, and he said that’s fine.

“When police came to question him on Monday, he fled. Then on Friday morning, I went to him and asked him why he was running away from the police after our agreement.”

Nyedimane said Nonyane told her that he ran away because he had outstanding matters with the police.

Nonyane was arrested on Friday after the police searched his shack and made the shocking discovery.

“My daughter was naked when we found her. When I asked the accused where her clothes were, he told me that they were drenched in blood, so he sent them off with the waste truck,” said Nyedimane.

“He did not say why he killed my daughter. He just kept saying sorry.”

Nyedimane burst into tears and said, “This boy has separated my daughter from her two-year-old child. Next year, when others celebrate Mother’s Day, my daughter will be lying in her grave.”

Motleleng’s sister, Nthabiseng Nyedimane, said, “We are deeply hurt as a family. We did not deserve this. Our sister did not deserve this. We want justice for her.”

Francina Nyedimane breaks down as she she speaks about the murder of her daughter. (Photo: Bheki C Simelane)

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Court hearing

Nonyane’s first appearance in the Protea Magistrates’ Court, on Monday, 2 May, was postponed. A court official told the community members who attended to support the family and demand justice that an outstanding procedure had to be concluded.

When Nonyane appeared in court again on Tuesday, he denied having any previous convictions or that there were any protection or restraining orders against him

The magistrate, Tshepiso Maepa, advised him that he was charged with a Schedule 5 offence and would not be granted bail unless an application for consideration of bail was made to the court.

He was remanded in custody until 6 August.

Community members have alleged that Nonyane committed other heinous crimes. In response, police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said, “The suspect in the Protea case [Nonyane] currently does not have any [other] cases against him, but the investigation team is still profiling him.”

Protea South community members outside the court hearing. (Photo: Bheki Simelane)

Protesters target mother

Community members protested on Monday outside the clinic where Nonyane’s mother, Oralia Nonyane (55), works. They demanded she be fired and that her family be evicted from Protea South.

They partially burned her son’s shack, which is on the opposite side of the street from his family’s home.

A woman who was renting a portion of the shack, had to hurriedly pack her belongings and leave the area as she feared for her safety and that of her baby. Soon after she left, the rest of the shack was dismantled.

Oralia Nonyane insisted she knew nothing about her son’s deeds. She added that her own daughter was suffering abuse at the hands of her boyfriend, and that she had a protection order against him and was begging her daughter to walk away.

“I can’t defend wrong. I myself asked him if he did it, but his response was, ‘Mama, I’m sorry.’ I said, “If you killed her, you are cruel,’” said Nonyane. DM