Cape Town - It was the execution of Sikhumbule Nkonki, an alleged associate of Yanga “Bara” Nyalara, who was shot by members of an alleged rival extortion gang that led to a massacre in May last year, which saw 12 people murdered and seven others wounded.
This is according to a court summary of facts, containing the alleged roles of Nyalara and three others –Wandile Tofile, Manelisi Ngumla and Lundi Zweni, in the mass shooting incidents that gripped Khayelitsha.
Nyalara was sought by police in July as the Western Cape’s most wanted man.
The accused made a brief appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where they were also handed an indictment with 32 charges, which includes 18 counts of murder, seven counts of attempted murder, and six counts of contravention of the Firearms Control Act and the illegal possession of ammunition.
They have also been charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
State advocate Mervyn Menigo said drug dealing charges, which were in the charge sheet, had been withdrawn.
Magistrate Ronel Oliver read a document from the directorate of public prosecutions’s office, which formally transferred the matter to the Western Cape High Court, where pre-trial was expected to start on March 10 next year.
“This case will be heard by the Western Cape High Court: if there is any defence witness that you intend to call forward in the matter, you’ll have to notify your defence council so that the persons can be subpoenaed.
If these witnesses will be required, the judge that will be dealing with the matter must be notified timeously.”
The accused nodded their heads, indicating that they understood.
According to the indictment, Nyalara is an alleged kingpin in a criminal gang, engaging in, among other activities, extortion from informal businesses operating in Khayelitsha.
His co-accused, Tofile, Ngumla and Zweni, are allegedly members or associates of Nyalara’s gang, whom he allegedly deploys to violently enforce his criminal activity in the area.
The document states that on May 15 last year, Nkonki had just collected extortion money paid by shopkeepers at Tea and Tea Cash Store in Banzi Street, Site B, Khayelitsha.
He was allegedly confronted by armed members of an opposing group, also involved in the extortion of foreign shopkeepers and informal businesses in Site B.
Nkonki was shot and executed in the street.
“Later that day, accused 1, 2, 3 and a group of heavily-armed male persons estimated to have been between 10 and 15 in number, gathered close to the home of the alleged leader of the opposing group in Y-section, Site B.
“The group then proceeded from that point, with the aim, which became clear later, of retaliating against the shooting of their associate by this group, by targeting informal businesses or randomly targeting community members who happened to be in the vicinity of various informal businesses, in the area known to be extorted by the opposing group,” the document read.
The group is accused of having gone on a shooting spree, shooting and killing people by a tavern, in Skhomo Supermarket, RR Section, and Tea and Tea Cash Store.
At least three shopkeepers were among the people gunned down.
Nyara and Ngumla have also been accused of a shooting in Site C, where six people were killed on the corner of Maphongwana and Indada streets.
Cape Times