Demand for justice: One year Since Aserie Ndlovu and Zodwa Mdhluli's Tragic Loss
Community radio journalist Aserie Sibusiso Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli were brutally murdered .
Image: Facebook
One year on from the brutal murders of noted journalist Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdhluli, the Africa Media and Communications Forum (AMCF) has voiced its frustration over continuous delays in the court proceedings, calling for immediate intervention to ensure that justice is served.
In a statement marking the first anniversary of their deaths, AMCF chairperson Elijah Mhlanga said the matter has now been postponed no fewer than 14 times in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate's Court, where five men stand accused of the double murder.
“Today marks one year since the tragic and brutal killing of Aserie Ndlovu and Zodwa Mdhluli, whose lives were violently taken in an act that shocked the nation and left their families, colleagues, and communities devastated,” Mhlanga said.
Africa Media and Communications Forum chairperson Elijah Mhlanga says repeated court delays have deepened the anguish of the families of murdered journalist Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdhluli.
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As previously reported by IOL, Ndlovu and Mdhluli were reported missing on February 18, 2025, before their remains were discovered on May 8, 2025 — nearly three months later — following what authorities described as a kidnapping and murder.
Five suspects were arrested in May 2025 and have since appeared several times in the KwaMhlanga Magistrates' Court. However, the case has been repeatedly postponed for further investigations and procedural matters, prolonging the wait for trial.
“The repeated delays have compounded the pain of the families affected and have raised serious concerns about the efficiency, urgency, and commitment of the criminal justice system in handling this matter,” Mhlanga said.
Veteran journalist and seasoned communications strategist, AMCF chairperson Elijah Mhlanga
Image: Facebook
He stressed that each postponement represents more than a routine court entry.
“These are not just dates on a court calendar, each postponement represents a prolonged period of anguish for the loved ones who continue to wait for accountability,” he said.
Mhlanga added that one year later, the families remain without closure, while the memory of the victims risks being overshadowed by what he termed systemic inaction.
“We call on the relevant authorities, the prosecution, and the courts to ensure no further unnecessary postponements occur. Justice delayed is justice denied — and one year is already too long,” he said.
The late Aserie Ndlovu in the company of friends and colleagues Lesego Mathibela and Khaya Khumalo at the African Media and Communicators Forum's end of year networking session in Midrand, in December 2024.
Image: Jonisayi Maromo
The AMCF also used the anniversary to announce plans to launch the Aserie Ndlovu Bursary Fund, an initiative aimed at supporting qualifying young people who wish to pursue careers in communication and media.
The late journalist Aserie Ndlovu having a light moment with media colleagues Zodwa Mtshweni at the African Media and Communicators Forum's end of year networking session in Midrand, in December 2024.
Image: Jonisayi Maromo
The forum said full details of the bursary and its partnership with a communication and journalism training institution will be made public in due course.
The murder case is expected to return to the KwaMhlanga Magistrate's Court on a date yet to be confirmed, as the families of Ndlovu and Mdhluli continue to wait for the case to move beyond repeated postponements.
The late Aserie Ndlovu having a light moment with veteran journalists and colleagues Karabo Ngoepe and Khayelihle Percy Khumalo at the African Media and Communicators Forum's end of year networking session in Midrand, in December 2024.
Image: Jonisayi Maromo
The late journalist Aserie Ndlovu with media colleagues Belinda Pheto and Zodwa Mtshweni at the African Media and Communicators Forum's end of year networking session in Midrand, in December 2024.
Image: Jonisayi Maromo
The late journalist Aserie Ndlovu posing for a picture with veteran communications specialist Motlhabane Skade at the African Media and Communicators Forum's end of year networking session in Midrand, in December 2024.
Image: Jonisayi Maromo
On 21 June 2025, Ndlovu was laid to rest in KwaMhlanga, on what would have been his 39th birthday. Mourners remembered the pair as dedicated, kind and full of life — and expressed enduring grief and outrage over their violent deaths.
The case was flagged for transfer to the High Court given its gravity.
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