A restaurant manager who allegedly strangled and killed a KwaZulu-Natal woman before burying her body in his yard at Amaotana (Inanda) in Durban will spend at least two months in jail after abandoning his bail application. 

Mfanafuthi Kunene, accused of killing Ayabonga Mjilo, abruptly gave up his bid for bail when he appeared before the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday, January 6.

According to KwaZulu-Natal police, Kunene (37) was the last person seen with Mjilo (22), who disappeared on December 23, 2024 and was later found dead. 

The matter has now been postponed to 26 February 2025 for further investigation. This was after the state indicated that the DNA and post mortem results, and a list of witnesses had not yet been finalised. 

Kunene appeared in court limping. He indicated that after briefing his state-funded Legal Aid attorney, they decided not apply for bail at this stage.

He faces two charges of murder and kidnapping. 

Kunene allegedly kidnapped and killed Mjilo, the woman he met while working as a manager at Nutun call centre in Durban. 

Mjilo later left the company and joined another call centre called Webhelp – also in Durban.

It is not yet clear why Kunene decided to kill Mjilo. 

Addressing the media outside the court, Premier KwaZulu-Natal Thami Ntuli pleaded with society to stand up and fight gender based violence. 

Ntuli attended the case to show solidarity with the Mjilo family and help them find justice for their daughter. 

“I argue men to stop this violence they are directing at women and children and I think everyone in KwaZulu-Natal and the entire society need to stand up. One, be aware that we have this serious problem and number to say not in or time. So, we need to stop this,” Ntuli pleaded.