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An elderly Eastern Cape mother whose daughter was killed in the Lusikisiki massacre told the Mthatha High Court this week that she forgave the six men accused of the murders and left their fate “to God”.
Pumla Patricia Mnqanto, 83, of Cambridge in KuGompo City, testified on Wednesday in the Lusikisiki massacre trial sitting in Lusikisiki.
Mnqanto identified her daughter, Mandisa Faith Dlokweni, 59, as one of the 18 people shot dead at the Sinqina homestead in Ngobozana village on September 28 2025.
Dlokweni taught at Xurana Junior Secondary School in Lusikisiki.
A court investigator helped Mnqanto to the witness stand before she gave evidence in both English and isiXhosa.
When state advocate Nkululeko Mathenjwa asked how she identified her daughter, Mnqanto replied without hesitation.
“I easily identified her. She was my daughter. I identified her body without any doubts,” she said.
“My daughter was one of the 18 people killed in the massacre in Lusikisiki. She happened to be at the place where there was an attack. She was killed there.”
After she completed her testimony, Mnqanto walked past the dock where the six accused sat.
She stopped, looked directly at them and spoke softly.
“I forgive you. God is with me. I know God is here. I put everything to God to deal with you,” she said.
Speaking outside court, Mnqanto said her daughter had followed generations of teachers in the family into education.
“She was a teacher, just like us,” she said.
Mnqanto said both her parents taught before she herself entered the profession and later worked as a choral conductor and sports instructor.
She described Dlokweni as a dedicated educator and a central figure in the family.
Dlokweni was one of three children, alongside another daughter and a son.
Mnqanto said she had spent much of the trial avoiding looking directly at the accused, but felt relieved after finding the strength to face them in court.
“I had been trying not to come to court and look at the accused.
“But I am happy that I was able to come and look at them,” she said.
The visibly emotional mother later received professional counselling after testifying.
The six men on trial are Mzukisi Ndamase, 46, Aphiwe Ndende, 25, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, Bonga Hintsa, 31, Songezo Mashiya Vuma, 21, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36.
They faced 29 charges, including 19 counts of murder, linked to attacks at the homesteads of sisters Mary Sinqina and Nancy Sinqina-Mhatu in Ngobozana village.
All six pleaded not guilty.
Fifteen women, a 13-year-old boy and two men died in the attacks.
Mnqanto said she now left the matter in the hands of both the courts and God.
“I am happy that they are all arrested and hope that justice will finally be served and allow us all to have closure,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ndamase — who is already serving a life sentence for murder and robbery — represented himself during the trial.
On Thursday, he successfully applied for an order compelling the head of the Ebongweni Maximum Prison to release his prison profile, including details relating to his sentence date, nature of sentence and co-accused, as he prepared his defence.
Daily Dispatch
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