The family of a slain traffic officer says a date to pay lobola for the woman he was with when he was gunned down had been set for September.
Thamsanca Nkosi, 34, was killed when a man believed to be the husband of the woman he was with shot him after he found them at a popular lodge outside Mbombela, Mpumalanga, on Saturday.
Abednigo Desmond Mbuyane handed himself over to police after the incident on Saturday.
He appeared at the Mbombela magistrate’s court on Monday and was remanded in custody until April 21 for formal bail application.
Family spokesperson Gomi Nkosi told Sowetan: “What we know is that Thamsanca was in love with that woman and they have been together for three years.
“She's a businesswoman and operates food outlets and my brother would eat there. As far as we know, she was not married and they [the woman and Mbuyane] were not seeing eye-to-eye, hence my brother told us that in September he's going to pay lobola for her.
“We are shocked that this man decided to kill our brother.”
Gomi said Nkosi, who was based in Mbombela, was a breadwinner, loved his family and was dedicated to his work.
“We are very disturbed. Thamsanca was a very good son who stayed with his grandmother, his unemployed father and his brother's children. His death led to his father collapsing. As we speak, the father is in a critical condition in hospital.”
Hawks spokesperson Capt Dineo Sekgotodi said Nkosi and a lady friend had booked into the Kwanyoni Lodge on the N4 about 15km outside Mbombela.
“While they were in the chalet, the woman’s husband emerged and kicked open the door. There was an altercation as a broken beer bottle was found. It is further alleged that the traffic official ran out of the chalet and the husband followed him as he fired shots at him. The victim was shot twice and succumbed to his injuries. The suspect fled the scene,” said Sekgotodi.
The woman was unharmed.
Sekgotodi said a team of investigators called the suspect, who later handed himself over to the police. “His official firearm, which was used during the commission of the crime, was seized.”
Mbuyane was allegedly a Mbombela municipality bylaw enforcement employee.
Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison Vusi Shongwe encouraged law enforcement officers to seek help.
“We have wellness programmes and we encourage members of all the law enforcement agencies to seek help there instead of resorting to violence,” said Shongwe.
newsdesk@sowetan.co.za
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