Durban — Even though a hitman – allegedly hired by the wife of murdered Transnet engineer Nkosi Timmy Langa – played an active part in his kidnapping and killing, Langa’s family are grateful that he led police to his body.
Langa’s elder sister, Zodwa Langa, said this as the murder trial of the slain man’s wife and brother-in-law ended in the Durban High Court on Thursday. Only arguments on the merits of the case and judgment are to come.
Langa’s wife, Nomphumelelo Patricia Goncalves, and her brother, Nkosinathi Steve Zungu, have been on trial for the 2020 murder since May 2022.
On September 29, 2020, Langa was allegedly forced into his Isuzu X-Rider at his home near Hampshire Place in Pinetown and taken to a forest in Ozwathini by Zungu and James Mashudu “Ramaphosa” Mthimkhulu, who turned State witness and is already serving time for his part in the crime.
Goncalves, a nurse, is alleged to have hired her brother and Mthimkhulu.
Police found Langa’s car and recovered a “buyer’s” ID book inside it. Using that information, they traced the “buyer” who told them he had obtained the car from Mthimkhulu and Zungu. Mthimkhulu was arrested and his confession led to Zungu’s arrest. Mthimkhulu pointed out where Langa’s body was in November 2020.
Speaking outside court about the agony the family had been through in the three years since her brother’s murder, Zodwa said that had it not been for Mthimkhulu they might have never found her brother’s body.
“We thank him for what he did, for confessing, because all that information was never forthcoming from Zungu. He said he couldn’t remember the location of the body. We thank Ramaphosa. If it weren’t for him we would not even know what had happened to my brother,” said Zodwa.
She said the festive season was particularly hard for the family. Langa’s mother had died in January, after Langa’s body was found, adding salt to their wound of loss.
“When we lost Nkosi it was leading up to the festive season so this time always comes with painful memories. We last saw his child in October 2020 while we were still trying to find him.
“The child’s mother fetched her from our home and since then we have never been allowed access to the child. Since Nkosi’s and mom’s passing, we have never enjoyed the festive season,” said Zodwa.
The trial has been marked by delays.
Last year in June, when Mthimkhulu had already testified, Goncalves failed to appear even though she had been present the previous day. A doctor’s note was sent on her behalf.
It was believed she had tried to end her life. Her defence told the court she had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Howick.
In July last year, Zungu said he wanted to change lawyers, which delayed the trial further.
Zodwa said: “Nkosi died in 2020. It has been three years since then and for the past two years the trial has been ongoing and has dragged on and caused us more pain.
“It has been a long, painful two years for us and more especially since we don’t know what to expect when it comes to the judgment expected next year, nearly four years since Nkosi was killed, and yet still we have not seen justice.”
Looking ahead to the judgment, Zodwa said they were ready to accept any outcome.
“We hope the justice system won’t let us down. It has been a long time coming and the court has been presented with the evidence. Now it is all in the court’s hands.”
Sunday Tribune