By Yondi Mahlangeni
Malvern community members say they are disappointed by the Durban Magistrates Court’s decision to grant a school principal charged with his wife’s murder, bail.
Following a lengthy hearing, the Durban Magistrates Court granted bail to Sithembile Primary School Principal, Khayelihle Dhlomo on Monday, 8 September.
During the court proceedings, state prosecutor Calvin Govender gave a detailed account of events leading up to Khanyisile’s death on 4 September 2022 highlighting that there was a long period of domestic violence between the couple. The deceased had also applied for a protection order at the Pinetown Magistrates Court in 2014 and two days before she died, Dhlomo had allegedly chased her with a knife.
Khanyisile was found dead with multiple stab wounds in her yard in Malvern, Queensburgh. Her death was initially ruled as suicide, but further investigations and a pathology report stated otherwise and the case was later changed from a suicide inquest to a murder case.
Khanyisile Dhlomo’s family’s spokesperson Thandeka Mgwaba questioned the decision to grant the school principal bail saying women will continue to be killed.
“How do you get out on bail of R5000 for killing someone in South Africa? Women and children will continue to die. We are not happy that he got bail. What evidence do they need to keep him behind bars?” Mgwaba asked.
Community member and ANC Youth League leader Nomfundo Gumede said that the fight for justice is not over.
“On Tuesday we are going to have a peaceful march at Sithembile Primary School where he works. We don’t need him there. His kids are not safe and they are even scared of him,” she said.
In pleading for bail, Dhlomo’s legal representative, Adv Sicelo Zungu, told the court that his client’s health has deteriorated since his arrest and that he has been hospitalised three times.
The matter was postponed to 15 October 2025.
1 Comment
A sad turn of events!! Crimes against women and children need to be taken seriously 😓😓