Fury over acid force feeding

A man who allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend by forcing her to drink battery acid, has appeared briefly in court.

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Durban - A man who allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend, a Lifeline staff member, by forcing her to drink battery acid, appeared briefly in court on Thursday before a packed, emotionally charged public gallery.

Siphiwe Mbanjwa, 35, is charged with the murder of Thulile Phungula, 23.

Mbanjwa was expected to make a bail application on Thursday, but it had to be adjourned after the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court heard that Mbanjwa had not paid his attorney.

The case was adjourned to next month.

Following Phungula’s horrific death last month, her colleagues at Lifeline Pietermaritzburg started an online petition in opposition to Mbanjwa being granted bail.

Lifeline has also called on other NGOs in the city to join them in a silent protest outside court on the next occasion.

According to police, the brutal attack took place on August 21 at Phungula’s home in Imbali. It was reported that Phungula met Mbanjwa at the gate of her home, where he allegedly grabbed her by her neck before dragging her into nearby bush. It was there that Mbanjwa allegedly forced her to drink battery acid.

Plessislaer police spokesman, Captain Musa Ntombela, said Phungula managed to return home shortly before midnight and was rushed to Grey’s Hospital, where she later died.

Phungula lived long enough to identify her attacker before the acid destroyed her organs, Ntombela said.

Mbanjwa was arrested a day later.

One of Phungula’s colleagues, who was present at court, but asked that her name not be published, said the attack on Phungula had traumatised everyone who knew her.

“To be that heartless and vicious, to make her suffer like that… is beyond comprehension. We want justice for Thulile. A man like this must be removed from society… so that he may never hurt another innocent woman again,” she said.

Daily News