A chilling tale of violence and betrayal unfolded in KwaZulu-Natal this week, leaving two families shattered and raising profound questions about domestic abuse and gender-based violence in South Africa. Sibusiso Lawrence, a primary school teacher, confessed to murdering his girlfriend, Ntobeko Cele, in a graphic Facebook video that went viral before he was found dead.
On Tuesday afternoon, the nation was confronted with the horrifying footage posted by Lawrence. In a two-minute video, a blood-stained Lawrence detailed the events leading up to Cele’s death, claiming she had cheated on him, given birth to another man's child, and was about to receive a Road Accident Fund (RAF) payout which he had helped her to secure.
"You will say I am being ruthless, I have tried and worked hard in my life trying to satisfy a woman. Trying to make her happy, trying to make a woman happy. I have tried really hard, I have lost a lot of things and a lot of money, lots of everything. She gave birth to a child who is not mine and I have taken care of her. She got tired of me and rejected me as she was about to get RAF [Road Accident Fund] that I helped with. She broke up with me," he said in the video.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that they discovered Cele’s body in Umzinto on Tuesday, with multiple stab wounds. A broken knife was found near the scene. Colonel Netshiunda stated that Lawrence allegedly collected Cele from her home, and a domestic altercation is suspected to have escalated into the murder. A murder investigation is underway, and an inquest docket has been opened.
While Lawrence’s father, Sipho, painted a picture of a quiet, loving son, Cele’s family described a different man entirely. Sipho described his son as a peaceful individual who kept to himself, and claimed that Lawrence had previously confided in him about Cele's alleged abuse, including claims that the child was not his, and that Cele was verbally abusive and consumed excessive alcohol. He also stated that lobola had been paid, confirming their customary marriage.
“So, when they started fighting, he asked me and his mother to go and speak to the wife’s family. She ended up dumping him before our very eyes. After that, they had a lot of terrifying issues. He then opened up to us about what had been happening. He was a quiet person who kept a lot of things to himself. He told us everything, including that the child the woman had given birth to, was not his,” Sipho recounted.
He also mentioned that although Cele had broken up with his son three months prior, they had recently reconciled and appeared happy. He was shocked by his son’s actions, describing his disbelief upon seeing the video. He described finding his son's body, stating, "My knees immediately weakened, and I sat down." He said the police were called, and his son’s body was recovered six hours later.
Sibusiso Lawrence Ntaka's family has described the self-confessed murderer of a 25-year-old woman as a quiet person who showed no signs of violence. They say the two were married through customary rights, and experienced problems that led to their separation. The man's father,… pic.twitter.com/CwQNb99IQm
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) December 18, 2024
However, Nhlonipho Cele, Ntobeko’s aunt, presented a starkly contrasting narrative. She described Lawrence as abusive, a "wolf in sheep's clothing," who had previously run over Ntobeko with his vehicle the previous year.
"On that day, he was drunk and left her to die on the road. Neighbours came, and we got a car and took her to the hospital. We did not open a case, and Ntobeko also refused to open one because she feared that he would be arrested, lose his job, and no one would take care of their baby," she explained.
She also detailed the events of Tuesday, recounting how Lawrence took Ntobeko and their two-year-old child to the beach before killing her.
"[He] arrived here and asked to take them to the beach and also buy her Christmas clothes. They came back around midday and dropped off the child here while he continued to speak to Ntobeko in the car. From there, he sped off and went to his home side (about 30km) away," she said.
She described the horrific scene where she found her niece’s body, stating, "Seeing her lying with her throat open like that broke my heart. I have no words to describe the pain we are feeling after our child was killed like a goat. He lied about not being the father of the child. That was news to us. He was angry because Ntobeko wanted to leave him because she couldn't stand his abusiveness."
She described her niece as a kind, calm, and loving person who aspired to independence.
The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of grief and condemnation. Kavya Swaminathan from the Tears Foundation expressed heartbreak and described the incident as a harrowing reminder of the pervasive violence against women in South Africa.
She noted the distressing timing, occurring shortly after the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli also offered his condolences to the families involved.
