The Sunday News
THE distraught wife of South Africa kwaito star Sipho “Brickz” Ndlovu on Thursday said she felt vindicated by the rape conviction of the Tjovitjo hitmaker.
Ndlovu was last month found guilty of the 2013 rape of his niece, aged 17 years then. His wife, Nqobile Ndlovu, reported the matter to the police.
Speaking through her sister Buyi Gamede for the first time since Brickz was found guilty, Nqobile said they knew the truth would come out.
Gamede said Brickz’s wife was too emotional to speak to the media about the case.
“We have been waiting to hear his truth and till today we haven’t heard his truth. The conviction means he raped her. The reason we reported the matter to the police was that Brickz and the rape survivor are relatives and we couldn’t take sides, hence the law had to (take its course),” she said.
Sowetan asked Gamede if they would be happy if Brickz was handed down the maximum 20 years imprisonment and if her sister would wait for him while he served his sentence.
“If he gets 20 years in jail that is fine, but I can’t talk about the relationship.”
Gamede said the rape survivor had been in and out of trauma and psychological counselling since the ordeal.
On Thursday, the dread-locked musician appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court where he was to be sentenced. Mabrigado, as he is affectionately known to his fans, was clad in a maroon jersey and appeared relaxed.
He introduced a new defence lawyer to apply for bail pending his sentencing on August 1.
His new lawyer Piet du Plessis indicated that he will be launching an appeal for bail pending sentencing.
Du Plessis asked the court for more time to go through the records and familiarise himself with the case.
“We are not ready to proceed. We are also waiting for a social worker’s report, and the social worker I appointed has not consulted Ndlovu [Brickz] yet,” said Du Plessis.
Magistrate John Baloyi lambasted the kwaito star’s delaying tactics.
“We need to finish this case. First, Ndlovu said he needed the services of Legal Aid and when the Legal Aid was ready, he changed his mind that he wants his private attorney. This case has been dragging for three years,” he complained. — Sowetan
