KEY POINTS
- Gender activists are demanding that Mfanafuthi Kunene, accused of kidnapping and murdering Ayabonga Mjilo, be denied bail, citing the need for harsher sentences for GBV perpetrators.
- Police investigations revealed that Kunene, Mjilo’s former manager, allegedly strangled her and buried her body in his yard after an altercation on Christmas Day.
- The case has sparked widespread outrage, with activists and political representatives vowing to continue their fight against GBV and ensure justice for Mjilo’s family.
Gender activists have vowed to intensify their call for murder accused Mfanafuthi Kunene to be denied bail, as the case surrounding the tragic death of 21-year-old Ayabonga Mjilo continues to unfold.
Kunene, a 37-year-old call centre manager and Mjilo’s former supervisor, made his second appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The case has drawn widespread attention, with activists, government officials, and political representatives rallying outside the courthouse to demand justice for Mjilo, who was kidnapped and killed on Christmas Day.
Timeslive reports that Kunene had initially abandoned his bail application during his first court appearance, as Mjilo’s family members and government officials observed the proceedings.
The case has since become a flashpoint in the ongoing fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa, with activists calling for harsher sentences for perpetrators.
Police uncover chilling details of mjilo’s kidnapping and murder
According to police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda, thorough investigations revealed that Kunene was the last person seen with Mjilo at a popular franchise restaurant in Umhlanga in the early hours of Christmas Day.
“The two reportedly had an altercation, and the man allegedly strangled her and buried her body in his yard,” Netshiunda said.
A case of kidnapping was opened when Mjilo failed to return home, and the subsequent investigation led police to Kunene’s home in the Amaotana area of Inanda, where her body was discovered.
The gruesome details of the case have sparked outrage among gender activists and community members. Cosatu’s gender desk secretary, Gretta Govender, emphasized the need for stringent action against GBV perpetrators.
“We are here to oppose any bail application which could be put before the court. Kunene does not deserve to be let off the hook. We are also here to plead with government agencies to ensure those who are GBV perpetrators get harsher sentences,” she said. Govender added that the rise in GBV incidents is deeply concerning and called for collective action to address the crisis.
