Johannesburg - Four men appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday for the murder of Mozambican national Emmanuel Sithole.
The case was postponed to May 4 for a bail application and the suspects - Mthinto Bhengu, Sizwe Mngomezulu, Ayanda Sibiya and Sifundi Mzimela - will remain in police custody.
Sithole, 35, was murdered over the weekend in 2nd Avenue in Alexandra. Pictures printed in the Sunday Times newspaper showed three men attacking Sithole, and one of them was shown aiming a knife at Sithole’s upper body.
The pictures caused an uproar on social media and many called for the police to hunt down the attackers.
Sithole was the seventh person to be slain since xenophobic violence flared up two weeks ago.
Earlier on Tuesday supporters of the African National Congress picketed outside the court, calling for the alleged killers to not be granted bail.
Clad in T-shirts condemning xenophobia, they carried placards written, “No bail for Sithole’s killers”, while shouting “No bail!”
Gauteng Premier David Makhura, safety and security MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane and top NPA officials were in court.
IOL and ANA