I lied to protect myself from the accused: Mkatali

THE partner of Nolovo Swelindawo, slain Driftsands lesbian, said she lied about witnessing her lover’s abduction to the alleged murderer, to protect herself.

Nqabisa Mkatali told the Western Cape High Court she had confronted the accused, Sigcine Mdani, about Swelindawo’s whereabouts. This is after he and a group of men had forcefully taken her away. The two met in the street that same night.

She said when asked by Mdani about where she was at the time of the attack, she lied and told him she was at a neighbour’s house.

“I lied to him because I wanted to protect myself. I saw him standing at the door of the bedroom that night, but told him I was not present,” she said.

Swelindawo was kidnapped on December 3 last year. Her body was found near a footbridge to Khayelitsha at the side of the N2 the following day.

Mkatali said Swelindawo and Mdani had fought at a party a day before the abduction, in Driftsands. She said Swelindawo informed her brother after he assaulted the accused and his parents.

Mkatali told the court that she and Swelindawo were in bed when the accused and a group of men broke in.

She said the accused stood at the door ordering Swelindawo to get dressed and leave with them.

“While he was speaking to her, I slid from the edge of the bed to the floor. I could see him standing there and recognised his voice,” she said.

A few hours later, while in search for the deceased, Mkatali said she came across Mdani coming out from another yard. “I have no reason to implicate Ma-Seven (referring to the accused). I wouldn’t accuse him out of all the people in Driftsands. I had no problem with him,” she said.

Defence advocate Sheriff Mohammed said his client denies being among the group of men who broke in and kidnapped Swelindawo.

The case continues today.