A High school maths teacher who allegedly kidnapped and killed a man suspected of breaking into his house was granted R1500 bail by the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Philemon Ngcelwane High School teacher Zamuxolo Mtalana, 46, appeared before magistrate Nolundi Mkwali facing charges of kidnapping and murder.
He was arrested on May 5 in connection with the murder of Masixole Nkwanyana, whose badly decomposed body was found dumped near the Nahoon Dam on May 3.
Mtalana was in court to formally apply for bail.
State prosecutor Nozuko Notyawe told the magistrate that they were not opposing bail, but the magistrate wanted to find out more about the circumstances surrounding Mtalana’s charges.
Notyawe then called investigating officer Captain Samuel Xhamane to testify.
Xhamane told a gallery packed with residents from NU9 who were in court to support the teacher, that he was linked to the crime by witnesses who saw him put the deceased in his car.
“The applicant handed himself over at the police station on my instruction.
“Upon interrogating him he told me that he assaulted the deceased but did not kill him. He said he assaulted the deceased after he broke into his home,” Xhamane said.
He said during his investigation he discovered blood on Mtalana’s car.
Blood samples were taken and would be sent to a forensic laboratory in Port Elizabeth to determine if it was the blood of the deceased.
Xhamane further told the court that more arrests were imminent as Mtalana did not act alone.
Mkwali then asked why the state was not opposed to bail while this was such a serious case.
Xhamane responded by saying that Mtalana had a fixed employment and permanent residential address.
He did not have any other pending criminal case although he had a previous conviction of drunken driving dating back to 2006.
The teacher was represented by East London attorney Ntsikelelo Manyisane.
Manyisane argued for his client to be given bail saying South Africa had a serious shortage of school teachers.
He said Mtalana was a father of four children who depended on him for survival.
He said should his client be granted bail he would adhere to strict bail conditions and would not interfere with the investigation.
The prosecutor told the magistrate that it was in the interest of justice for Mtalana to be released on bail.
Residents of Mdantsane’s NU9 packed the courtroom while others had to stand throughout Mtalana’s appearance.
They were there to support him and later told the Dispatch outside court that the teacher was a “pillar of the community”.
Mtalana was warned to appear again in court on July 4. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
M’sane teacher in court for kidnap, murder
Philemon Ngcelwane High School teacher Zamuxolo Mtalana, 46, appeared before magistrate Nolundi Mkwali facing charges of kidnapping and murder.
He was arrested on May 5 in connection with the murder of Masixole Nkwanyana, whose badly decomposed body was found dumped near the Nahoon Dam on May 3.
Mtalana was in court to formally apply for bail.
State prosecutor Nozuko Notyawe told the magistrate that they were not opposing bail, but the magistrate wanted to find out more about the circumstances surrounding Mtalana’s charges.
Notyawe then called investigating officer Captain Samuel Xhamane to testify.
Xhamane told a gallery packed with residents from NU9 who were in court to support the teacher, that he was linked to the crime by witnesses who saw him put the deceased in his car.
“The applicant handed himself over at the police station on my instruction.
“Upon interrogating him he told me that he assaulted the deceased but did not kill him. He said he assaulted the deceased after he broke into his home,” Xhamane said.
He said during his investigation he discovered blood on Mtalana’s car.
Blood samples were taken and would be sent to a forensic laboratory in Port Elizabeth to determine if it was the blood of the deceased.
Xhamane further told the court that more arrests were imminent as Mtalana did not act alone.
Mkwali then asked why the state was not opposed to bail while this was such a serious case.
Xhamane responded by saying that Mtalana had a fixed employment and permanent residential address.
He did not have any other pending criminal case although he had a previous conviction of drunken driving dating back to 2006.
The teacher was represented by East London attorney Ntsikelelo Manyisane.
Manyisane argued for his client to be given bail saying South Africa had a serious shortage of school teachers.
He said Mtalana was a father of four children who depended on him for survival.
He said should his client be granted bail he would adhere to strict bail conditions and would not interfere with the investigation.
The prosecutor told the magistrate that it was in the interest of justice for Mtalana to be released on bail.
Residents of Mdantsane’s NU9 packed the courtroom while others had to stand throughout Mtalana’s appearance.
They were there to support him and later told the Dispatch outside court that the teacher was a “pillar of the community”.
Mtalana was warned to appear again in court on July 4. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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