Boyfriend accused in UKZN student's killing to apply for bail

THEMBA Xaba, the man accused of murdering his 23-year-old girlfriend, Zinhle Mchunu, is set to apply for bail in late January 2026.

- NOMONDE ZONDI

This follows his initial, brief appearance at the uMlazi Magistrate's Court on Monday.The 22-year-old Xaba allegedly killed Mchunu, a University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) student from Ladysmith who was due to graduate next year. He is accused of putting her body into a suitcase and burying it at the uMlazi property where he was renting. Mchunu's body was discovered after about a month of being reported missing.

The alarm was first raised on November 22 when Mchunu's sister, who lives in Gauteng, received a call from Xaba. A family member, who requested anonymity, recounted that Xaba told the sister he had fought with Zinhle, resulting in her packing three pairs of pants in her suitcase and leaving late at night. Xaba claimed he did not follow her and assumed she had gone to her ex-boyfriend's residence.