Confusion reigned inside court 25 of the Gqeberha magistrates court on Tuesday during the second appearance of the man who’s alleged to have killed local physiotherapist, Marolien Schmidt.
It appears 31-year-old Simxolele Zitshu not only wanted to abandon his bid for bail but had also indicated that he would plead guilty.
Similarly on Monday, during his first appearance, he spoke via a translator saying all he wanted was to "tell the truth".
Magistrate Dumisani Appolos, however, advised Zitshu that it would not be wise for him to proceed without formal legal representation.
He said if the accused proceeded with no lawyer, the matter could be time-consuming and the mere fact that Zitshu had to be addressed by a non-Xhosa-speaking person was a disadvantage to the accused.
Zitshu then made an about-turn and applied for Legal Aid assistance.
On Monday, the court heard that Zitshu was a repeat offender and had prior convictions of murder and robbery.
Although details of his previous convictions remain sketchy, Algoa FM News understands that Zitshu was an inmate at St Albans prison in 2012 before he was released on parole.
It appears that Zitshu absconded and could not be traced by Correctional Services until his arrest last week.
Zitshu also admitted to the court via his translator on Monday that he would have challenges reading and understanding the docket as he does not have a legal qualification.
It has since been revealed in court that Zitshu allegedly stole a TV set and cell phone belonging to Schmidt.
He will be back in court on the 22nd of August for his formal bail application to commence.
Marolien Schmidt (40) was murdered at her home in Richmond Hill during the early hours of Women's Day, sending shockwaves throughout the medical fraternity.
Zitshu was arrested less than 24 hours later when CCTV footage from a neighbour's home assisted in the swift arrest.
Left: Marolien Schmidt; Right: Schmidt's home in Sherlock Street where she was murdered.
