Cape Town - The trial of four men accused of killing one of South Africa’s top sailors who was holidaying on the Wild Coast nearly two years ago, is expected to finally start there on Monday.
Rob Meek, 62, from Newlands, was also one of the country’s top urban designers.
He was shot just moments after posing for a photograph with family and friends at midnight on January 1, 2014.
They had been celebrating the new year at a beach house in Mpande, near Port St Johns, when a group of men wearing balaclavas attacked them.
It had appeared they wanted to rob the group, but they fled after Meek was shot.
Four men were arrested on suspicion of murdering Meek in May last year, and were initially expected to go on trial in the Port St Johns circuit court in February. But no judge was available to hear the matter.
The trial was postponed and is now set to be heard over two weeks from Monday.
Meek’s wife, Di Meek, told Weekend Argus she was planning to attend the beginning of the trial.
“I fly to Mthatha (today) with my two daughters Louise and Claudia, and we will be in Port St John’s (Monday) for the start of the trial.
“It is almost two years now and it still feels like on Saturday. We are just so grateful for all the love and support we have had from our family, our friends and so many other people who have helped us in thousands of big and little ways,” she said.
In the early morning after their father was shot, Louise and Claudia tried in vain for two hours to resuscitate him.
Afterwards the Meek family, together with a family friend, hired a private investigator to work with police and local residents in a bid to track down the killers.
Four suspects - Siyavuya Madikizela, 18; Sifiso Major Mnyandu, 20; Jongile Mcoloswane, 21 and Ncebu Zobhula, 20; were arrested on May 24 last year, in a village close to where the murder took place.
They have been charged with murder, attempted robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.
The Meek family’s attorney, Michael Jackson, previously told Weekend Argus the firearm used to shoot Meek was a home-made shotgun.
“Although accused one, Siyavula Madikizela, is accused of having shot the weapon, all four accused are charged with acting in common purpose or conspiracy and, therefore, are all liable for the offences charged,” he said at the time of the arrests.
The four have been in custody since their arrests.
Sunday Argus