The man accused of murdering Sisipho Mayile and dumping her body in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in January was due to make a bid for his freedom.
Mzukiseni Mandoyi appeared in the Hermanus Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 3 May to apply for bail.
As the charge against him is a Schedule 6 offence, the accused needed to prove to the court “exceptional circumstances” existed for him to be released on bail.
The court also had to take several factors into consideration, such as whether the nature of the offence was likely to cause shock and outrage in the community, whether this shock and outrage may lead to public disorder if the accused was released, and whether the accused’s safety may be jeopardised if he is released on bail.
At Mandoyi’s previous appearance the court heard he had previously been released on bail for a separate murder.
Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Western Cape, confirmed Mandoyi was released on bail of R1 000 in December relating to the previous matter.
The first murder case relates to the killing of Thabans Letsela (27).
This means Mandoyi was out on bail when he allegedly murdered 21-year-old Sisipho Mayile.
Mayile’s stepfather Zukisa Fono related that he last saw her on the night of 14 January when she left their home to go out with friends.
She was last seen at the Zwelihle Taxi Rank on 16 January. Her body was found in the bushes near Camphill on Friday 25 January.
Mandoyi was arrested in April.
Captain Fadila September, spokesperson for the Hermanus police, confirmed Mandoyi had been arrested on a charge of murder in December.
“The murder occurred on 2 December 2021 and the suspect was arrested right after the incident,” she said.
“According to the suspect the victim had tried to rob him.”
Ntabazalila stated more charges would be added in both cases against Mandoyi as soon as the investigations are done.
The outcome of Mandoyi’s bail application was not known at the time of going to print.