Pretoria – Blue Bulls rugby player accused of the murder of Ntokozo Mayenzi Xaba – a third-year Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) communications student – will remain behind bars until is next court appearance.
RELATED: Third-Year TUT Student Ntokozo Xaba Dies In Suspected GBV Incident – The Bulrushes
Murder accused 23-year-old Ngcebo Thuso, a junior Blue Bulls rugby player, appeared at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court Monday.
He is facing charges of murder and defeating the administration of justice.
Allegations are that Last week on Wednesday, (1 February 2023), Xaba hosted a group of friends for a social gathering at her off-campus residence at Pretoria Gardens.
It is also alleged that the accused was among the people at the social gathering and that the accused was the last person to leave the Xaba’s place.
Thuso is thought to have left Xaba’s place around midnight or in the early hours of the morning.
Evidence is that Xaba was found dead with stab wounds the next morning by her friends who had gone to check on her.
The matter was then reported to the police.
Thuso was questioned by the police and arrested on Thursday, (2 February 2023) and has remained in custody since.
On Monday, the court postponed the matter to 13 February 2023 to allow for the confirmation of the accused’s address and profiling.
Thuso will remain in custody.
Outside the court, members of the Economic Freedom Fighters and women’s rights groups protested against granting Thuso bail.
Meanwhile, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) on Monday said it will reach out to the leadership of TUT.
The CGE said it was “saddened by this senseless killing, which adds to the list of gender-based violence (GBV) murders that have taken place within institutions of higher learning”.
In the past three years, the CGE said it conducted investigations to assess gender transformation and gender-based violence at public universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, to ascertain the safety of women on campuses and residences.
More than 15 vice chancellors appeared before the commission to help the commission understand gender-related problems at their institutions.
One of the numerous recommendations we made was for the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to institute policies and procedures to deal with the scourge of gender-based violence at institutions of higher learning.
“We urge DHET to speedily ensure the implementation of our recommendations in this area,” said CGE CEO, Phelisa Nkomo.
“We implore the criminal justice system to speedily process all GBV-related cases, deny perpetrators bail and ensure a high number of convictions.”
The Commission said it will monitor the case as per its legal mandate to ensure that the matter is treated with urgency.
“We are calling upon the citizenry to report gender-based violence cases to our nearest offices in all provinces or alternatively call our Toll-Free number 0800 007 709,” the Commission said.