DURBAN - CHILLING video footage of how a man was killed in Phoenix during the recent unrest emerged in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The bail hearing of three men accused of murder and attempted murder is expected to continue on Wednesday.
Dylan Govender, 29, faces murder and attempted murder charges, while his brother Ned Govender, 30, and neighbour Jeetendra Jaikissoon, 39, both face murder charges.
Magistrate Irfaan Khalil adjourned the matter for cross-examination of the investigating officer.
The trio allegedly killed Mondli Majola from Amaoti. He was shot and hacked to death on July 12, the first day of the wave of unrest in KwaZulu-Natal. The men also allegedly assaulted four other people.
Testifying for the State and opposing bail, investigating officer Sergeant Siphosenkosi Shezi told the court that video footage from a house on the street where the attack took place revealed how Majola and surviving victims were attacked with bush knives.
Shezi was led to the scene by the survivors. He viewed the footage and recorded it on his phone.
When he arrived the next day to retrieve the footage, he was told that the house had been ransacked by unknown people and the hard drive had been stolen.
“It was a clear attempt to destroy the evidence. Fortunately, I used my cellphone to record the footage,” Shezi testified.
Detailing the video footage, Shezi said five unarmed African men were walking in Palmview, Phoenix, when a car stopped next to them.
“Someone shouted and asked, ‘What you f*****g doing in our area … go back to your shacks’. A group of men carrying weapons chased the African men. A bakkie with approximately seven men arrived. Dylan and his brother Ned were allegedly among them.”
Shezi testified that Dylan had a gun and Ned had a stick. They allegedly cornered all the victims. Shezi told the court that Dylan allegedly shot at one of them but missed. The others ran towards a home and hid. Shezi said the group went to the house and pulled them out. The group allegedly tied the hands of one of the African men and allegedly assaulted the five men.
Shezi said one of the victims slipped and fell, and that Dylan Govender allegedly shot him at close range in the face. He died at the scene. Jaikissoon allegedly hacked him with a bush knife. The victims stopped a passing van and got in to escape.
Shezi said the accused had interfered with witnesses.
Meanwhile, Mercedes driver Mbuso Moloi, 30, who allegedly looted a basket of goods from a Woolworths food store in Glenwood, is out on R5 000 bail. Moloi made his second appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. The matter was postponed to August 12 for a plea.
Jackie Shandu, 37, also appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court for alleged contravention of the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1956, on two counts of incitement to commit public violence. The matter was postponed to Friday for bail consideration.
Shandu, the convenor of the #JusticeForPhoenixMassacareVictims, led a march to the Durban city hall last Thursday.
Addressing the crowd, Shandu allegedly chanted; “One settler, one bullet. One Indian, one bullet.”
He later took to Facebook to apologise and retract his statement.
Daily News