Durban — An elderly woman who died after being assaulted with a wooden plank with nails in it was buried without an arm after it was amputated as a result of injuries sustained during the attack allegedly meted on her by her son.
This is according to the woman’s daughter, Andile Xaba, who was speaking outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court where her brother, a former police constable, was appearing.
Greta Xaba, 81, was assaulted on May 7, 2022, allegedly by Lungisani Xaba. He was charged with “assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm” however, the charge was changed to murder on May 8 after Greta died.
“I bathed my mother every day because she was wheelchair-bound, when I bathed her for the last time when she was dead my mother had one arm. Seeing her like that, the injuries on her was traumatic. She deserves justice,” said Andile.
At the time of Lungisani’s first appearance in court in 2022 court documents reflected that his mother was 70, however, Andile clarified that she was 81.
Lungisani, before his arrest, had been working at the KwaDabeka police station since 2010 and had been living in KwaDabeka with his mother and cousin as well as her child. His children live with their mothers.
It is alleged that on the day of the assault on his mother, a witness in the matter went to the KwaDabeka police station to report that the elderly woman was being assaulted.
When police arrived they allegedly found Lungisani. It is also alleged that Lungisani had been reported at the KwaDabeka police station on numerous occasions for assaulting his mother.
On Wednesday, his matter was on the court’s roll for a pre-trial conference, however, it was postponed as magistrate B Asmal was not at court.
Lungisani has been behind bars since his arrest in May 2022 after being refused bail twice. He has changed lawyers five times.
In July 2022 following his arrest, he was refused bail by Magistrate Wendalynn Robinson in the district court because the investigating officer said Lungisani was familiar with some State witnesses, and their testimony. But in Lungisani’s affidavit, he was adamant he did not know the witnesses.
The following year in March, Lungisani again applied for bail based on new facts. However, it was ruled the facts could not be considered as new.
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Daily News