Judge orders more tests for cannibal woman in South Africa

Ingrid Oellermann:

A high court judge in Pietermaritzburg has ordered a fresh inquiry into the mental state of a Bergville woman who pleaded guilty to killing a four-year-old boy, removing his upper lip and ear and cooking them.

The woman, Tshitshi Dlamini, was evaluated by two private psychiatrists - Dr B Lind and Dr S V Moodley - and state psychiatrist, Dr N Raymond, when she was first referred to Fort Napier Hospital for observation.

The three psychiatrists all reported that they had found no evidence that Dlamini suffered from mental illness and declared her fit to stand trial.

She subsequently pleaded guilty before Judge Noel Hurt and was found guilty of murder.

In her plea, she admitted that she had killed her neighbour's son, Sabela Dubazane, on March 24 last year out of revenge because she suspected her neighbour of being responsible for her youngest child's death.

She said she beat Sabelo to death with a spade. She then cut off his upper lip and ear and cooked them. She put the child's body in a basin and hid it under the bed in her room, it was found.

Dlamini also said she regretted what she had done.

When Dlamini's case came before Hurt for sentencing last week, her legal representative, Duncan Sishi, said Dlamini appeared to be unable to communicate with him about mitigating factors in the case.

The court was also handed a report by a social worker expressing the opinion that Dlamini's mental stability was "questionable".

The social worker reported that members of Dlamini's community had said the woman had been prone to erratic behaviour.

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