Senior Counsel joins Macia civil action

INLSA

Joseph (2nd from L) father of murdered Daveyton taxi driver Mido Macia is seen outside the Benoni Magistrate's Court on Friday, 8 March 2013 along with family and friends.File picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

 Johannesburg - Senior counsel Martin Brassey has joined the legal team representing Mido Macia's family in their civil claim against Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

“Jurgens Bekker Attorneys are proud to have acquired the services of a senior counsel with the abilities and reputation of advocate Brassey,” the firm said on Wednesday.

Attorney Andrew Boerner said the firm had sent a letter to Mthethwa to inform him it was acting on behalf of the family and Macia's estate.

“We are preparing to institute a civil claim against the ministry on behalf of our clients for the unlawful death,” he said.

“We have advised the ministry that as we are now on record, they are not to contact our client directly.”

Brassey represented civil rights group Afriforum in its hate speech case against former African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema and his singing of Dubul' iBhunu (shoot the boer).

Nine policemen accused of killing Macia were denied bail by the Benoni Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. Magistrate Sam Makamu said he felt it was not in the interests of justice to grant them bail. The matter would resume on April 12.

In delivering his ruling, Makamu said Daveyton residents could try to seek revenge on the accused. He expressed concern at the prospect of sending the men back to their homes in this “unfavourable” climate.

Macia was filmed being tied to the back of a police van and dragged along a street in Daveyton on February 26. He was found dead in the local police station's holding cells several hours later. - Sapa