Durban - Tensions ran high on Monday at the bail application of two men arrested for the execution-style murder of Pietermaritzburg taxi boss, Clement Bongani Zondi.
Zamokuhle Zungu, 29, who was employed by Zondi as a taxi driver, and Zbonelo Mkhize, a 49-year-old human resource manager at the Msunduzi Municipality, told a packed Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s courtroom that they both intended pleading not guilty to the murder charge.
Zondi’s children and other family were admonished by Magistrate M Boikhutso several times for their emotional outbursts in court, and eventually, Zondi’s son, who could not contain his emotions, was escorted out of the courtroom by the court orderly.
“They are liars,” he screamed.
Zondi, 53, was shot dead in his driveway at his Chase Valley residence on the morning of January 29 last year.
A taxi owner operating in the Sobantu area in Pietermaritzburg, Zondi was on his way to the Virgin Active gym at Cascades at 5.30am when he was confronted by a gang of men before he could get into his vehicle. Zondi was shot once in the chest and the gang left in his Toyota Hilux bakkie.
Zondi’s domestic worker heard a shot outside the house and contacted the police before going to investigate.
She found Zondi crawling towards the house and appealing for help.
Members of the Pietermaritzburg tracking team in the KwaMpumuza area in Plessislaer recovered Zondi’s abandoned vehicle hours after the murder.
Investigating officer Willem de Wet is opposing the two men’s bail application on the grounds they pose a flight risk and may intimidate witnesses. Two of the state’s witnesses are accomplices to the robbery and murder.
“They are facing serious charges that could result in a life sentence. They could be tempted to flee; anything is possible when one is facing a long jail term,” De Wet said.
De Wet testified that while Zungu and Mkhize were not physically present when Zondi was killed, Zungu was identified as the mastermind behind the robbery.
He explained that Zungu was Zondi’s “right hand man” and knew all of his boss’s comings and goings. In his testimony, Zungu agreed that he was “like a son” to Zondi.
It is alleged Zungu, with Mkhize and their accomplices, plotted to rob Zondi of R1 million in cash Zondi had in his home safe. Zondi was allegedly going to use the money to buy a bus.
The plan was to rob Zondi on the morning of the incident, but according to De Wet, something went wrong and Zondi was shot.
De Wet said while the robbers did not get away with the money, the cash was never found. “It is missing and police are still investigating,” he said.
The bail application continues next week.
Daily News