Cape Town – One of the accused in the shocking Monswamy family massacre case is expected to apply for bail, as new details emerge about the devastating loss suffered by the family and loved ones of the seven victims.
According to IOL, Bongumenzi Mpungose, along with Linda Blessing Mthiyane, 28, and Mthandeni Luyanda Mthiyane, 21, faces 17 charges in connection with the killings. One of the accused also faces an additional charge of rape.
The trio is accused of kidnapping Alan Monswamy, 52, his wife Sandy, 57, their children Kraidon, 26, and Shamaria, 20, as well as relatives Gonosagren Padayachee, 51, Mooniamma Padayachee, 78, and Mariama Happanah, 83. The victims were allegedly taken from their home in Newtown, Newark, before being transported to Melmoth, where they were killed.
According to investigators, the case unfolded after a domestic worker arrived at the family home the following morning and discovered that the property had been broken into.
The seven family members and a vehicle were missing.
Yoh, 😳😳😳😳why?? 🤬
They have been identified as Allen Monswamy (52), his wife Sandy (57), their children Kraidon (26) and Shamaria (20), along with relatives Gonosagren Padayachee (51), Mooniamma Padayachee (78), and Mariama Happanah (83). pic.twitter.com/ESm9gidDJp
— Judaeda Blanco (@Judaeda3) April 23, 2026
Police later revealed that one of the accused had previously worked for the family.
Following an intensive investigation involving several law enforcement units, the suspects were arrested and subsequently led investigators to Melmoth, where the bodies of all seven victims were recovered.
The tragedy struck just days after what should have been one of the happiest moments in the family’s life. During a visit by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli, relatives revealed that Kraidon and his fiancée, Melissa, had recently celebrated their engagement with both families.
Photos and videos shared on social media showed family members laughing, dancing and celebrating the couple’s future together. In one clip, Kraidon’s mother was seen proudly escorting her son into the venue as guests gathered to mark the special occasion.
Days later, hundreds of mourners attended a mass funeral held at the Stanger High School sports ground.
Vimalessan Pillay, a relative of the Monswamy family, has spoken about the deep grief and shock the family is experiencing following the brutal killing of seven relatives. He described the emotional toll on the family as they come to terms with the tragedy that has rocked Newark pic.twitter.com/NTdOVaggko
— The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) April 24, 2026
“We’re all in a state of shock, and we’re all really broken,” Alan Monswamy’s brother-in-law, Devendra Naidoo, told IOL at the time.
The brutal killings also reignited public debate around the death penalty, with many South Africans calling on social media for the harshest possible punishment for those responsible. Legal experts, however, noted that reinstating capital punishment would face significant constitutional hurdles.
At the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, it was revealed that 27-year-old Mpungose intends to bring a bail application at a later stage.
“The Legal Aid attorney told the court that they would approach the court with a date for the application following consultation with the accused,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said.
WARNING | *If you’re related to the victims, please consider avoiding this story due to the graphic descriptions*
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By Tuesday evening, temperatures in KwaZulu-Natal were starting to drop.
A welcome reprieve from the blazing heat.
The shift in weather patterns is always… pic.twitter.com/xUEgfkYsZm
— Dasen Thathiah (@DasenThathiah) April 27, 2026
Meanwhile, Kraidon’s fiancée has broken her silence for the first time since the murders, sharing the anguish of the final hours before she learned that her fiancé and his family had been killed.
Speaking exclusively to the POST newspaper, the 24-year-old woman, who asked not to be identified as a fourth suspect remains at large, recalled her final conversation with Kraidon.
“I was talking to Kraidon on Tuesday until he stopped replying around 8pm. At the time I did not think anything of it and thought he had fallen off to sleep,” she said.
“It was only the next morning, when there were still no replies from him, that I became concerned.”
She said she was at work when family members contacted her asking whether she had recently spoken to Kraidon. Relatives had been unable to reach anyone in the household, while Shamaria’s boyfriend was also struggling to make contact.
As concern grew, she asked her mother to send someone to the family home.
“My mum told me that the person she sent had found the house opened and ransacked. That is when I started getting scared. It then dawned on me that something happened to the family,” she said.
Desperate for answers, she used Apple’s Find My iPhone application to track Kraidon’s cellphone.
“I saw the dot moving on the app. I tried to phone but there was no answer.”
She left work and rushed to the family home, where relatives told her they believed the family had been taken.
“I gave my phone to Kraidon’s brother-in-law so that he could help the police track the location,” she said.
While police followed the cellphone signal, she waited anxiously at home, hoping for a positive outcome.
“I sat at home patiently waiting for them to return home safely. I never expected this tragedy to unfold.”
She spent the night unable to sleep, worried about Kraidon’s safety.
“The next morning my dad broke the news to me that the entire family had been killed.
“I was devastated. I did not know how to react. It was so shocking. I had just spoken to him and the next thing he was gone.”
The matter has been postponed until 31 July for further investigation.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
