Fingerprint may link ANC man to killing

Zoniselo Magawu

Zoniselo Magawu

Published Aug 29, 2016

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Kimberley - ANC branch secretary in the Northern Cape, Zonisele Magawu, who is charged with the execution-style killing of DA councillor Johannes Baaitjies, has apparently been linked to the murder by his fingerprint.

The fingerprint was apparently found on an exhibit from the murder scene which prompted his swift arrest on August 19 - less than 24 hours after the murder was reported to the police.

Baaitjies was buried in Kuilsville in Danielskuil this weekend where the DA's national leader, Mmusi Maimane, assured mourners that the party would be victorious "not through the bullet, but through the ballot".

Magawu is due back in the Danielskuil Magistrate's Court for a bail application on Monday. He was charged with a Schedule Six offence, putting the onus on him to give reasons why he should be released on bail.

Magawu must also reveal whether he has a past criminal record or is awaiting trial for other offences. If so, it could scupper his chances of getting bail.

The DFA has now established that Magawu was charged with housebreaking and theft after six firearms were stolen in November last year, before he allegedly killed Baaitjies and seriously wounded his business partner, Jeffrey Shuping Nouse, on August 18. Nouse died six days later.

The charges involved the theft of firearms from a farm outside Danielskuil on November 13 last year. It is suspected one of the stolen guns could have been used to kill Baaitjies and wound Nouse, but the Hawks are tight-lipped about this.

Baaitjies was killed on the eve of being sworn in as a ward councillor of the opposition-led Kgatelopele Local Municipality in Danielskuil. He was found on the side of a road with two gunshot wounds to his head and one in his heart.

Nouse was still alive when community members alerted the police. He had a gunshot wound in his jaw.

Hawks spokesman, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, confirmed that Magawu was facing a separate charge of housebreaking and the theft of firearms from Hottie Vermeulen's farm. Mulaudzi also confirmed that six firearms were stolen from the farm.

The Hawks, however, did not want to confirm or deny reports that Magawu had been arrested after his fingerprint was lifted from one of the exhibits at the scene of the crime. The Hawks also did not want to comment on whether the murder weapon was stolen from the farm.

Mulaudzi said the police were still hunting for two other suspects who are at large. He said the investigation into the deaths of Baaitjies and Nouse would be treated as a normal criminal offence.

According to the sources, Magawu was allegedly in a gang of three, including a Nigerian, which broke into a farmhouse and stole the firearms. He was charged with his co-accused and is now out on bail of R20 000. While awaiting trial, Magawu was selected as an ANC candidate for the municipal elections. He failed to appear in court in July while attending the ANC final candidate selection meeting in Upington and an arrest warrant was issued but was withheld until his next appearance.

Magawu is due back in court on September 12 for the housebreaking and theft charge.

ANC Northern Cape secretary Zamani Saul said: "The ANC will allow the due process of the courts to take place and, based on that, the ANC will take a decision."

Baaitjies' funeral this weekend was attended by a number of high-level DA officials. Maimane warned community members not to take the law into their own hands.

DA provincial leader, Andrew Louw, said that Baaitjies was a much-loved family-man "completely dedicated to the DA".

"As we are gathered here today, united in our mourning, we are still healing from the circumstances of Johannes' sudden death. It is difficult to understand why such a peaceful man would come to such a violent end.

"We ask why it had to happen that a family was robbed of their beloved father, husband, brother and son; we ask why it had to happen that the Democratic Alliance was robbed of their opportunity to govern the municipality in a coalition with the Kgatelopele Community Forum."

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