Murder Case of ANC Veteran Zibuse Mlaba Heads to Pietermaritzburg High Court as Chilling New Details Emerge
Viable News Team 
The high-profile murder case involving the killing of respected ANC veteran Zibuse Mlaba is now headed to the Pietermaritzburg High Court, marking a major escalation in a matter that has shaken the KwaXimba community and exposed deep divisions within the Mlaba family.
On Monday, Duncan Mzamo Mlaba, the 63-year-old cousin of the slain leader, was formally served with an indictment at the Camperdown Regional Court. He will now face a formidable slate of charges when he appears before the High Court in May.
A Family Torn Apart: Land, Power, and an Alleged Deadly Plot
The roots of the case stretch back to a long-running dispute over an alleged illegal land-sale scheme in the KwaXimba area land traditionally overseen by the Mlaba family. According to the indictment, Duncan Mlaba allegedly enriched himself through these unlawful sales, an activity fiercely opposed by his cousin Zibuse, a former chief regent and influential political figure.
Once allies during the struggle era, their relationship reportedly deteriorated sharply in the years leading up to the murder. Duncan, a former United Democratic Front (UDF) member who had undergone self-protection training during apartheid and later worked for the ANC in Pietermaritzburg, once served as Zibuse’s bodyguard.
Their bond from comrades to cousins would ultimately fracture in the most tragic and violent way.
The Assassination: A Calculated Killing at a Shopping Centre
According to the indictment delivered by State prosecutor Zokwakhe Nzama, the murder was the result of meticulous planning. The State alleges that in October 2021, Duncan Mlaba conspired with several men including Mncedisi Gwala, Fortune Dlamini, Khanyisani Dlamini, and Nhlanhla Hlongwa to eliminate Zibuse.
One of the conspirators, Fortune Dlamini, who has since turned State witness, detailed the financial arrangement behind the killing. He claims Mzamo paid R130,000 for the assassination.
On 21 October 2021, Zibuse was fatally shot at Wareing’s Shopping Centre in Cato Ridge, just outside his office. The post-mortem revealed gunshot wounds to the head and neck, confirming the execution-style nature of the attack.
Following the murder, the State alleges the accused and his accomplices paid an additional R20,000 to ensure the weapons used were destroyed or disposed of a move intended to obstruct the police investigation.
A Second Murder: Silencing a Potential Witness
But the alleged plot did not end there.
When it emerged that Mncedisi Gwala, one of the suspected shooters, had been speaking openly in prison about his involvement in Zibuse’s murder, a second deadly conspiracy was allegedly set in motion.
Gwala was shot and killed on 4 February 2022 at the Emhlabeni informal settlement in Umlazi. According to Fortune’s testimony, Duncan Mlaba allegedly paid R30,000 for this second killing, fearing that Gwala’s loose talk could compromise him.
The State argues that both murders were carried out “in furtherance of a common purpose.”
Legal Twists: Arrests, Bail Denials, and Changing Lawyers
Duncan Mzamo Mlaba was finally arrested in 2025, years after the killings.
Although the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) refused to consolidate the two murder cases due to jurisdiction issues, the gravity of the allegations against him remained clear. He applied for bail twice at both the Umlazi and Camperdown Magistrate’s Courts but judges ruled that releasing him would not be in the interest of justice.
Adding another layer of complexity, Mlaba recently changed his legal team. On March 9, attorney Themba Mkhize informed the court he would now be representing him, replacing the previous defence led by Sipho Mkhize and advocate Sibusiso Xulu.
Meanwhile, two of the accused Fortune Dlamini and Nhlanhla Hlongwa have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the State, leaving Duncan Mlaba as the sole remaining accused in the case.
Heading to the High Court: A Community Awaits Justice
With the indictment served, the spotlight now shifts to the Pietermaritzburg High Court, where Mlaba is set to make his first appearance in May.
For many in the KwaXimba community, the trial represents not just a pursuit of justice for the murdered ANC veteran, but a chance to confront years of tension, land disputes, and political fractures within a powerful local family.
As the High Court prepares to hear testimony from multiple State witnesses including those who once stood alongside the accused the case is expected to deliver shocking revelations and emotional confrontations.
The murder of Zibuse Mlaba was not just the assassination of a political figure; it was a devastating blow to a community, a family, and a legacy built over decades.
Now, nearly four years later, South Africa may finally learn the truth behind the deadly feud that turned comrades into enemies and left two men dead in its wake.
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