Security guard Mkululi Ntshuba told the Cape High Court on Tuesday of his concern when he encountered his colleague Luyanda Mboniswa at the Dolphin Beach apartment complex on the night former first lady Marike de Klerk was killed.
He told the court that Mboniswa, who was based at the complex, was on dayshift, and was not allowed to be on the Dolphin Beach premises while off duty.
Ntshuba said he had been in the security control room at the complex that Sunday night when he heard a voice say ”security”.
He told the court that Mboniswa, who is charged with the rape and murder of De Klerk and robbery with aggravating circumstances and housebreaking, then entered saying he had come to borrow a car.
Ntshuba said Mboniswa left the reception area but returned soon afterwards saying one of their colleagues Sipho Kem, who had a car, refused to lend it to him.
Mboniswa then said he was cold and asked if there was a spare blanket for him but there were none available.
Ntshuba said it appeared Mboniswa had been drinking, but he was not drunk. He was concerned about Mboniswa’s presence at that hour of the night because he was supposed to return to work early in the morning to relieve Ntshuba.
Ntshuba said when Mboniswa had not reported for duty by 7.15am, he then telephoned him. Mboniswa told him he was booking off for the day to see a doctor.
Ntshuba said at 4pm two days later De Klerk’s beautician Yolanda Wright arrived at the security control room looking for De Klerk, who had not kept an appointment the previous day. She asked one of the guards to accompany her to De Klerk’s flat.
Ntshuba said Kelvin Cornelius the senior guard at the complex went to De Klerk’s flat. He got a ladder for Cornelius who then climbed on to the balcony and entered through the sliding doors of De Klerk’s bedroom.
Ntshuba said no sooner had Cornelius entered De Klerk’s room, when he immediately shouted for Ntshuba to call an ambulance.
He said he did not question Cornelius on why he needed an ambulance and the next moment Wright, who had also climbed up the ladder, started crying hysterically, saying: ”I knew, I knew something was wrong.”
Ntshuba said he was sent by Cornelius to fetch a spare key to the front door of De Klerk’s flat.
He said he asked Cornelius what had happened and Cornelius replied that De Klerk had passed away.
Ntshuba said at one stage he was also in the apartment and saw ”something covered on the floor.” This was De Klerk’s body which Cornelius had covered with a sheet from her bed.
The hearing continues. – Sapa