A man accused of dismembering his wife and dumping her body parts across Khayelitsha may be referred to Valkenberg psychiatric hospital, after the defence on Friday made a request that he be sent for observation.
Goodman Nobade appeared in the Western Cape High Court for a pre-trial conference on charges of murder, assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, and obstructing the course of justice.
He is accused of dismembering Agnes Msiza, to whom he was married in accordance with customary law, and abusing her prior to her murder.
Msiza's cause of death could not be determined, as only her head and upper leg have been recovered.
According to the indictment, Msiza, in September 2016, applied for an interim protection order against Nobade, which he refused to sign.
She is believed to have been murdered in their Mbethankunzi Street, Site B house, seven months later.
The State alleges that Nobade covered up the murder by cleaning the crime scene, getting rid of his wife's body parts and giving various accounts to people explaining Msiza's disappearance.
Defence advocate Althea de Jongh told Judge Mushtak Parker they wished to bring an application for Nobade to be admitted to Valkenberg for a 30-day observation. The State did not oppose this.
The matter was postponed until June 22.