Ngqeleni magistrate’s court heard on Thursday how a senior Nyandeni politician and his four co-accused allegedly kidnapped and killed a man they suspected of housebreaking and theft.
Nyandeni council’s finance portfolio head, Zola Mevana – who is also an SACP district executive member and an ANC branch leader – is accused of being part of a mob that kidnapped Phelo Makhunga and beat him to death earlier this month.
Nyandeni local municipality is in the OR Tambo district. Its administrative seat is Libode. Ngqeleni is its other town.
Mevana, 47, was in the dock alongside Sibongiseni Maganda, 31, Thando Mziki, 32, Avuyile Zide, 31 and Mnyamezeli Lulwane, 51.
They were arrested by Ngqeleni police last Tuesday.
The accused are from Mangcwanguleni, Masameni, Ngolo and Callaway, all townships in Libode.
Makhunga died in Callaway near Mevana’s house on February 5.
According to the charge sheet, the accused hit Makhunga with sticks until he died. This was after allegedly kidnapping him in Mdlankomo village, putting him in a Toyota Tazz and taking him to Callaway.
Initially, the five were facing only a murder charge, but on Thursday, after state prosecutor Michael Bradfield and his colleague Apinda Madikizela consulted with the investigating team, the kidnapping charge was added to the indictment.
Magistrate Sikhayiso Ngomthi said the charges the accused were facing were schedule 6 crimes. “These are very serious offences. The victim in this case is the same person mentioned in the murder case,” he said.
The court was so packed that people were spilling out the door, listening to court proceedings from the passage.
There were about 10 Nyandeni councillors as well as ANC and SACP leaders of the area.
The five accused were represented by three attorneys.
Mevana has a private attorney, Mfezeko Mkwini of Mkwini Attorneys. Lulwane’s counsel is Chuma Mevana of Qakumbana Attorneys.
Magada, Zide and Mziki were represented by Legal Aid SA’s Zonke Soviti.
Although state prosecutor Apinda Madikizela told the court that the state was ready to proceed with formal bail application all defence attorneys said they were not.
The case was postponed to Tuesday February 19 for the bail application. The accused will remain in custody until then.
After the court proceedings some councillors were seen speaking with Mevana.
Makhunga’s uncle Lindile Makhunga said his nephew would be buried on Friday at Ndanya village near Mdlankomo in Ngqeleni.
None of his family attended Thursday’s court case as they were busy with funeral preparations...