Nomonde Zondi|Published
KHALE said that he also had a headache at the time of the incident, the grandson was about to brutally chop off his grandmother’s head, and then rolled it like a football.
The accused, Mr Thabo Nzimande (33), said this on Tuesday when he appeared at the Durban High Court.
He was charged with murdering Mrs. Beatrice de Lange (80), on June 7, 2024 at their home in Pinetown, where they were said to be living.
Nzimande, who was being questioned, said that he does not remember anything that happened related to his grandmother’s death. He told the court that on the day of the incident, he had taken five sleeping pills, and also smoked marijuana, trying to get some sleep.
He revealed that usually, these pills were black within 15 minutes of taking them. However, he revealed that on the day of the incident, he drank them at different times, and he was not working.
This conflicted with evidence from his time at the Fort Napier Mental Hospital, where he told the doctor that marijuana made him awake and happy.
The State Prosecutor, Advocate Nadira Moosa, asked him about the dispute he had with Mrs. De Lange in May, where he said he insulted her, calling her a name used to insult immoral women.
Nzimande denied that he slept on his back, and said that he asked his grandmother to do so and raised the money to take a second drug test because he wasn’t sure what happened with the results of the first test.
He also denied that their relationship had soured, and that they were heard arguing a few days before the incident.
It turns out that their argument in May was about the fact that the defendant ordered him to attend a program to help him with drugs, at a center that helps those who are addicted to drugs.
Adv Moosa also cornered him by contradicting his testimony regarding the words he said he heard when his mind was disturbed.
Nzimande then denied that he told his uncle John Ngcobo that his ancestors ordered him to kill his grandmother.
He said he heard the voice of his late mother, expressing her pride in him, and said that he had visited her, accompanied by his uncle and his grandfather, who have passed away.
Adv Moosa then asked Nzimande why his speech was different about the words he said he heard.
“You came and said you heard a voice saying you know what to do,” Adv Moosa said, Nzimande replied that he no longer remembers that.
He also asked him about the conversation he had with his uncle, Ngcobo (John) when he was holding his grandmother’s head.
“Ngcobo said when he opened the curtain, he saw you holding your grandmother’s head, and he said I should have done this. What do you say about that,” Adv Moosa asked, Nzimande replied that he no longer remembers that.
His memory problem also appeared in other parts of the important moments. He told the court that he did not remember telling the policeman who arrived at the scene, that he had just killed his grandmother.
“Constable Chili said he heard you shout that you heard the words of your ancestors saying kill the person you love the most. Did you lie to him?” Adv Moosa asked.
“I was probably still confused, I was at the police station, I was told what was going on, I couldn’t believe it. I don’t remember saying those words. If it happened that I said them, which means I was insulted, I was scared by the words I heard in my ears,” answered Nzimande.
The case will return to court in June this year.