Durban - The family of Clinton de Menezes are petrified of returning to South Africa where the international artist was fatally shot during a house robbery in 2013.
“Nicola (his wife) and their daughter, Eva, now live in London. They are still traumatised and couldn’t return to South Africa for the trial,” explained De Menezes’ father, Mark.
He and De Menezes’ mother, Norma Wilson, stepmother, Yvonne de Menezes and sister, Jacqui du Randt were Wednesday in the gallery of the Durban High Court listening to the testimony of De Menezes’ friend, Simon Malpas.
The family said they would attend the trial, which began on Monday and is set down for two weeks, until the end.
Siyabonga Khoza, 24, Lungani Ngidi, 21, and Bongani Makhathini, 28, all from KwaDabeka, and Fisto Alimasi, 26, of Burundi, have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder, housebreaking and robbery.
The gang are alleged to have targeted three separate homes in Westville in December 2013.
It is alleged Alimasi co-ordinated the robberies but did not participate in them.
The State alleges Alimasi had hired Ntokozo Langa, a metered taxi driver who has turned State witness, to fetch the three other accused from Clermont, drop them in Westville and fetch them after they had committed the crimes.
On December 31, 2013, a gang of robbers had broken into Malpas’s home in Waterfall Avenue.
De Menezes, 43, was shot trying to protect his friends, his wife and young daughter.
De Menezes and his family were visiting from Kenya.
According to the indictment, Langa’s taxi was stopped by police after the shooting. It is believed the four men were en route to Alimasi’s house when they were arrested.
Goods from Malpas’s home, and the 9mm pistol allegedly used to shoot De Menezes, were found in the taxi, the State claims.
Malpas told Judge Esther Steyn the robbers’ faces were imprinted on his memory.
Malpas, his wife, Amanda, and De Menezes were on their verandah late that night while Nicola and Eva were asleep in their bedroom.
Malpas said De Menezes had gone to the bathroom and Malpas heard his dogs barking and realised they were in danger.
“My wife closed the doors and ran to Nicola and Eva and hid with them. I ran and picked up a blue plastic chair and hit one of the guys in the face and tried to close the remaining doors,” Malpas testified.
Malpas said he had a clear view of the three men.
“... when I realised I couldn’t hold them back, I ran to my bedroom and closed the door.”
About 10 minutes later he walked back upstairs thinking the coast was clear and saw De Menezes lying face up on the floor and not breathing.
At an identity parade he pointed out Ngidi and Makhathini and under cross-examination said he had no doubt in his mind they were the same people in court
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Daily News