Son stabs mom to death hours after she signed his bail application

When Nobonile Mqeni, 73, signed a form approving the bail application of her 28-year-old son on Friday, she was effectively signing her life away.

A few hours after his release from custody, the mother of five was dead in her eDiphini village home in Mooiplaas after being stabbed repeatedly, allegedly by her son. Her family is furious with the police and justice system.

On Sunday, Mqeni’s son Siviwe Mqeni said: “Our mother was stabbed after 7.30pm. The news had just ended and mama asked us to leave the main house and go to our flats as she wanted to sleep.

“The nine-year-old boy who lives with us and I obliged. My brother refused to leave, saying he wanted to watch Generations: The Legacy. But as I was walking down the stairs outside the house, I heard mama crying and I turned back.”

Siviwe, who walks with crutches, said he found his younger brother, who cannot be named as he has not appeared in court, stabbing his mother in the back while she was lying on the floor.

“I tried to use my crutches to beat him and stop him, but he threw them away and I crawled and limped for my life as he charged towards me. I managed to jump over the fence with the young boy and called for help. He didn’t stop even when mama tried to run away from him – he continued stabbing her outside the house until she could not run anymore.”

Mqeni’s body was found in a pool of blood in a small trench next to the main stairs.

Siviwe said that his brother was arrested in July when he, Siviwe, opened a case against his brother for assault and for vandalising his vehicle.

“I was not home when the detective gave my mother a paper to sign. I am very upset that they requested her signature and did not consult me, the complainant.

“We don’t even know how the bail application process went – maybe he got free bail, because we did not pay for his release. I was very shocked when I saw him,” Siviwe said.

A suspect was arrested by police on the scene.

Mqeni’s grieving daughter Thumeka Mqeni said: “My mother had a protection order granted against him. We really don’t understand how the police work.

“There were many instances when he abused mama and the nine-year-old boy she fostered, but our justice officials saw it fit that he should be released.

“As his family we were not crazy when we took all these steps against him, we knew what a monster he is.”

The family said the brother was a drug addict.

Mqeni’s niece Nomvo Mqeni said: “He has robbed us as a family. My aunt was a very bubbly person, very friendly and had a great sense of humour. There was never a dull moment when she was around. She always made us laugh.”

Police spokesperson Captain Mluleki Mbi said: “The suspect faces a charge of murder and will appear in court on Monday.”

Pressed for answers about his release, Mbi said he could not answer if a police officer delivered the bail application paper to Mqeni or not.

“Police don’t grant anyone bail. It’s the Department of Justice that can answer as to how and why he was released.”

The Dispatch could not get a comment from the justice department as they do not work on Sundays.