Johannesburg - All Daluxolo Sihlali could think about on Thursday was his belongings and how they would be stolen if he wasn't granted bail.
The 41-year-old man made his first appearance at the Johannesburg Magistrate's court on Thursday since his arrest on Tuesday for the alleged murder of his mother.
It is alleged that he stabbed his 58-year-old mother, Dorina, to death, but it is still unclear when the crime was committed.
Neighbours had told The Star that Sihlali had been abusive towards his mother and had locked her outside the house on Saturday after hitting her.
A co-worker of Dorina's led neighbours to the discovery of her body.
After calling the police for help, an officer told them that he had found Sihlali and asked him where his mother was.
He had replied “I killed her,” according to the law enforcement agent.
Sihlali stood in the dock on Thursday, shaking his head after Magistrate Simon Radasi told him he would remain in custody.
He couldn't wait to get a word in.
“What about my belongings? There is no one in the house, it will be vandalised. I need to get bail,” he said.
Sihlali told the court that both his sisters were in Cape Town and if he was not let out at that very moment, his belongings would be stolen.
He then quickly changed his tone from cheeky to apologetic.
When he was arrested in Naturena Extension 19 on Tuesday, Sihlali had remained calm, a far cry from his demeanour yesterday.
“I don't mean to command the court to do anything, but I need to get bail,” he said.
The magistrate asked Sihlali if he understood the situation.
“What do you expect us to do?” asked Radasi.
He told Sihlali that he would remain in jail until his bail hearing next Thurday (September 11).
Two women who had come to hear the case left during Sihlali's rant.
They called him a liar for saying that the house he lived in with his mother would be vandalised.
Mondeor police spokewoman Constable Sibongile Mnguni said the dead woman’s daughter had been notified, but did not know when she would be able to come up to Joburg.
“There is an uncle of the family living in Orlando who has the keys to the house in Naturena. He is looking after it,” she said.
The Star