Cape Town - The case against four men allegedly involved in mass shootings and extortion-related crimes gripping Cape Town communities will head to the Western Cape High Court for trial.
Yanga Nyalara, dubbed the “Western Cape's Most Wanted ”, joined co-accused Wandile Tofile, Manelisi Ngumla and Lundi Zweni in a brief appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday.
The matter was postponed to November 29 to draft an indictment and summary of facts which will be served to the accused, and for consultation with witnesses.
As the accused made their way into the dock, they blew kisses and waved at their supporters inside a packed courtroom which was heavily guarded by police.
Ngumla and Zweni were remanded to Pollsmoor, while Nyalara and Tofile are at Drakenstein and Goodwood prisons respectively.
During an appearance last month Zweni, who also faces charges relating to a mass shooting in Gugulethu where eight people were killed and two wounded, was added as the fourth person linked to the killing of multiple people in Khayelitsha.
Nyalara, Tofile and Zweni face 31 charges, including 12 counts of murder; five counts of attempted murder; several counts of illegal possession of firearms; illegal possession of ammunition and dealing in and possession of drugs.
The charges relate to an incident on May 15 last year.
Nyalara and Ngumla are charged with six counts of murder linked to an incident on May 8.
According to the State, Nyalara and Tofile were also charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
It is alleged they were prominent members of a gang that “engaged in a range of criminal activities which include extortion of informal businesses around Khayelitsha and committing violent criminal acts, by instilling fear among the owners of the informal businesses to induce them to pay money to the gang”.
Cape Times
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