Durban - National Freedom Party councillor Mzonjani Zulu was defending himself when he shot dead an IFP supporter outside a court, the Durban Regional Court heard on Wednesday.
Zulu said a man was carrying an assegai (spear), and holding it the way people in faction fights do. He was speaking during his bail application, and responding to questions from his lawyer.
Zulu is accused of killing Siya Dlamini in October outside the Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court. Two shots were fired at him, in full view of police and bystanders. This took place after the appearance of four men in connection with the shooting of an Inkatha Freedom Party supporter.
Zulu said after the court proceedings he was talking to a police officer when he saw three people approaching him. He said one of the men pulled him by the jacket, after asking him what he was saying to the police officer about the assegai.
“I tried to pull myself out of his grip by moving backwards,” Zulu said.
The officer tried to stop the man, but he avoided him and moved towards Zulu. Zulu said he tried to move back and run away, but the man continued advancing.
“It was then when I took my firearm out of the holster, but at first it got stuck. I eventually managed to pull out the firearm and pointed it at him.
“I ordered him not to come close. I told him if he does I'll shoot him, but he continued advancing towards me.”
Zulu continued to retreat until he ran out of space as there was a car.
“After he noticed I could no longer move backwards, he advanced towards me. Then I fired a warning shot directed at his lower part of his body.
“He continued to come at me in a forceful manner, wanting to strike me. Then I shot him in the head.”
Zulu said as he was being put into a police van he heard someone warning him, and jumped to avoid being stabbed with an assegai.
Zulu asked the court to grant him bail as he was taking care of his unemployed wife, paying off a bond and running a taxi business.
He told the court he intended to plead not guilty.
The bail application continues. - Sapa