The murder charges against three men accused of killing a five-month-old baby and a day mother in Delmas have been withdrawn, Beeld reported on Wednesday.
Fernandos Maritse, 27, Enock Mbele, 44, and Lazarus Mabhena, 54, appeared in the Delmas Magistrate's Court on Tuesday and now face charges of theft only.
The three men were granted R1000 bail each, with strict conditions, which include that they report to a police station five times a week.
Prosecutor Erik van der Merwe said during their court appearance that the men could not be directly linked to the murder yet. They would be back in court on August 17.
They were previously accused of strangling 66-year-old Magrietha de Goede and baby Wiehan Botes in May.
De Goede's body was found under a carpet in an outside room of her Mpumalanga home. The baby's body was found under a bed in the main house.
Police were searching for Themba Ephraim Mahlangu, who worked as a gardener for De Goede. - Sapa