‘I was hurt by her cheating’: Man accused of killing wife’s ex-lover, burning his body and faking own death to claim insurance, in court

A Soshanguve man accused of faking his death after allegedly killing his wife’s ex-boyfriend and burning his body, says the two were having an affair hurt him and made him feel like a failure.

Sibusiso Mahlangu has told the court when he found out that his wife Lerato was cheating on him with her ex-boyfriend and her child’s father Sibusiso Sithebe, he packed his bags and left the marital home.

It is believed Mahlangu found out about the affair on the day S Mahlangu and Lerato allegedly killed Sithebe and burnt his body at their marital home in Soshanguve in January 2022.

Lerato allegedly passed off Sithebe’s body as Mahlangu’s, buried it and received an insurance payout. It is alleged she got R500,000 from a life policy. The two are currently on trial for murder.

On Tuesday, Mahlangu told the court the day believed to be one on which Sithebe died is the day he learnt about Lerato cheating on him.

He said he learnt of the affair as they were preparing to go to his mother’s place. “We were preparing to go to my mother's house for New Year’s Day lunch with my wife and two kids,” said Mahlangu.

On the day, I wasn't happy because [in the morning] me and my wife had a fall out because I learnt that my wife was cheating and I had have been suspecting it but she kept on denying it.”

Mahlangu said during lunch, he sat next to his older sister because he could not sit next to Lerato after finding out about the affair. “Normally I sit next to my wife but that day I was not OK with my wife,” he said.

He said after lunch they left because Lerato had to go to Mpumalanga.

On their way to the taxi rank, where Lerato was supposed to catch a taxi to Mpumalanga, she kept trying to make him understand why she was cheating, Mahlangu said.

He said after dropping her off, he took the car to a mechanic and left it there because it  needed to be fixed. From there he then went to their marital home, took a few clothes, and went to Silverton at a friend’s place as he needed to think, Mahlangu told the court.

“Honestly, I was hurt learning about the affair. It felt like I had failed as a man, I failed to protect my family and I have failed to do what I promised my uncle in protecting my family,” he said.

Mahlangu said when he got to Silverton, he changed his sim card because he did not want to be bothered by Lerato.

He was arrested in April 2023 in Hammanskraal when he was found in possession of his then-girlfriend’s car. which was reported stolen.

Together with Lerato, they were charged with Sithebe’s murder.

moloih@sowetan.co.za

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