On 3 October 2025, Ntokoto Mabasa (22)appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court, facing murder charges for allegedly stabbing her 31-year-old boyfriend, Xichavo Ntsanwisi, to death.
Mabasa, a third-year law student at Wits University, seemed visibly nervous during the proceedings, trembling as she stood before the court. Her legal representation, Attorney Maanea Ramashia, argued for her release on bail, noting that this was her first offense and asserting she posed no flight risk.
During the hearing, media were again barred from photographing or videotaping the accused, consistent with earlier appearances. Inside the courtroom, Xichavo’s distraught family occupied the front benches, while Mabasa’s family sat quietly at the rear—an emotional divide reflecting the gravity of the case.Family games
Outside the court, tensions ran high. Community members and the deceased’s relatives staged protests, brandishing placards demanding justice and criticizing the decision to free Mabasa on bail. Many protesters chanted that Mabasa should “rot in jail,” denouncing the judiciary’s move as “a failure of justice.”
Jacob Ntsanwisi, Xichavo’s older brother, addressed sympathetic community members, expressing heartbreak and disbelief. Though he acknowledged the court’s decision, he emphasized that the legal process was far from over. He insisted that Mabasa would still stand trial and questioned how someone present with her partner in the apartment could be released, saying, “It is clear who is responsible for his stabbing.”
Mabasa was ultimately granted bail in the amount of R10,000, under strict conditions. Among these is a requirement to report weekly to the Midrand police station every Thursday before 6 pm. Her next court appearance is set for 25 November 2025.
The case has drawn intense public attention, particularly within Minga Village, Limpopo, where Xichavo was raised. Community members described him as a hardworking and well-mannered young man whose life was cut tragically short.
While Mabasa is temporarily free, the trial looms ahead—one that will determine the full scope of justice for Xichavo Ntsanwisi’s death.
