Sibusiso Lawrence who confessed on video after killing his girlfriend used rapper name ‘suicide’, predicted his death on Facebook

The gruesome discovery of Ntobeko Cele, 25, brutally murdered on a gravel road in Umzinto’s Malangeni area, and her alleged killer, Sibusiso Lawrence Mtaka, found hanging from a nearby tree, has sent shockwaves through the community.

The case, however, is far more complex than a simple murder-suicide. Mtaka, a primary school teacher, chillingly documented his actions on Facebook and TikTok, revealing a disturbing history of online pronouncements that now resonate with haunting clarity.

Mtaka, who also performed under the rap name “Mabulala Neh Suicide,” posted a series of disturbing messages on Facebook between 2013 and 2017. These posts, now widely circulated on social media, include ominous statements such as “I will kill a man” (21 October 2017) and “I think one day I will kill myself” (October 2014).

A Facebook post from April 29, 2014, shows him displaying a watch with the caption “Suicide.” Another post from November 4, 2014, features a picture of himself with the caption: “My name is Suicide. My name was not who I became.”

These posts, once perhaps dismissed as the dark pronouncements of a troubled young man, now serve as a chilling premonition of the tragedy that unfolded.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mtaka shared a two-minute video on Facebook, depicting a blood-stained scene where he confessed to stabbing Cele. In the video, he claimed Cele had cheated on him and was expecting a child with another man, further alleging that she was about to receive a Road Accident Fund (RAF) payout which he had helped her secure.

He stated this was one of the reasons he killed her. “After everything I have done for her, she decided to break up with me because she was about to get her RAF payout,” he said in the video. This video, along with other motivational videos and poetry recitations he posted on TikTok, has also resurfaced online.

The discovery of Mtaka’s body, found by his father hanging from a tree over a kilometre from Cele’s, confirmed the grim reality of his confession. Police investigations revealed that Cele suffered multiple stab wounds, and a broken knife was found near her body. Bloodstains in Mtaka’s vehicle, discovered down the road, suggest the murder occurred inside the car.

Cele’s family paints a picture of a much more complex situation than Mtaka’s video confession suggests. They describe Mtaka as abusive and manipulative, a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” and claim he had previously threatened suicide during arguments. They also allege that Mtaka ran over Cele last year outside her home, leaving her injured on the road and claiming he was too intoxicated to see her.

Nhlonipho Cele, Ntobeko’s aunt, stated: “He was a psychopath. That man was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He was an animal, and there were signs that he was not mentally okay. Whenever we asked Ntobe as to why he was not leaving because he was abusive and was just not good for her, she would just say she will. When he ran over her, we should have opened a case and have him arrested, but we agreed not to, and now this has landed us here without Ntobe.”

However, Mtaka’s father, Sipho Mtaka, offers a different perspective. He denies claims of abuse and suicidal tendencies, attributing their arguments to alcohol consumption. He described his son as quiet and reserved, someone who only opened up when intoxicated.

Sipho stated: “Their problem was alcohol, and for my son, when he was drunk, he would not be scared to say and do things. They both drank a lot, and I believe that is when they would fight and when you were arguing, certain things that maybe you don’t really mean.”

He emphasized his son’s reserved nature, suggesting his emotional struggles were largely hidden. “He protected his emotions a lot and was very reserved. We understood him like that, and that has been the case since he was young. He didn’t speak much. Even with issues regarding his wife, he only spoke because we were asking him about not seeing her around, but it took time as well for him to open up.”