On 10 December 2013, after months of waiting on a protection order against her threatening ex-boyfriend, Sandiswa Mhlawuli, 27, was brutally murdered by him on the day it was issued. Despite the presence of eyewitnesses, his arrest and charges of murder, Nkosinam Xabadiya was released from police custody without bail.
One of Sonke’s Community Action Teams (CATs) recognised the injustice and the danger his release posed. As a result, Sonke and partner community organisations placed pressure on the criminal justice system and campaigned for a speedy trial.
Because of the work of CAT members like taxi driver and community activist Sithile Noyaha, Xabadiya was found guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
