Lenasia South ‘killer nurse’ and gardener convicted in R6 million murder-for-insurance plot

The Johannesburg High Court has convicted former nurse, Hapiness Sithembile Xulu (47) and her former gardener, Simon Isaac Mogale (38), for the brutal murder of Xulu’s stepdaughter, Busisiwe Nxumalo – a cold-blooded killing prosecutors say was orchestrated to claim approximately R6 million in fraudulently obtained life insurance.

The convictions, handed down on June 3, 2026, mark a breakthrough in a case that has haunted the Lenasia South community since Nxumalo’s death in January 2022.

The court found that shortly after Nxumalo moved from KwaZulu-Natal to live with Xulu in Lenasia South in September 2021, Xulu secretly took out multiple life and funeral insurance policies in her stepdaughter’s name – without her knowledge. Xulu named herself as the sole beneficiary.

Just four months later, on January 17, 2022, Nxumalo was murdered.

Xulu also pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud for unlawfully securing the policies while impersonating the deceased.

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Mogale’s conviction hinged largely on a confession – admitted into evidence after the court rejected his claims that it was obtained under duress.

According to his confession, Xulu drove him to a veld near Daxina Hospital in Lenasia South, where Nxumalo was lying on the ground. Xulu handed him a knife, instructed him to kill her, and promised him R60, 000 in return.

The court ruled that Mogale carried out the killing on Xulu’s instructions and that his confession was corroborated by compelling circumstantial evidence.

While no eyewitness directly linked Xulu to the murder, the court accepted the State’s argument – led by Senior State Advocate Leswikane Mashabela – that the overwhelming circumstantial evidence pointed to Xulu as the mastermind who orchestrated the murder to cash in on the insurance policies.

Originally investigated by Lenasia South police station’s Warrant Officer Lloyd Ngengenene, the case has been closely followed by residents who have waited more than four years for accountability.

For many, the convictions mark a long-awaited moment of justice for Busisiwe Nxumalo, whose family bond was betrayed in the pursuit of money.

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The matter has been postponed to Monday, June 8, 2026, for sentencing proceedings. The convicted pair could face lengthy prison terms.

National Prosecuting Authority communications officer, Magaboke Mohlatlole, said, “The NPA welcomes the convictions, which demonstrate the effectiveness of meticulous investigation and prosecution in dismantling complex crimes motivated by greed. The successful prosecution underscores the criminal justice system’s commitment to ensuring accountability for those who exploit positions of trust and orchestrate violent crimes for personal enrichment.”