Durban - The media has been excluded from the court proceedings for the first court appearance of the four men accused of kidnapping Durban businesswoman Sandra Moonsamy.
The State made an application in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Monday to bar the media from proceedings due to the "sensitivity of the case".
State Senior Advocate Cheryl Naidu asked the media to wait outside while the proceedings got underway.
The media had been initially told not to name the accused and not to take pictures or visuals of the accused as the police were yet to conduct an identification parade, but before proceedings could start, the state made the application for the media to be excluded.
The prosecution was locked in meetings since 10am before the proceeding could start. The matter eventually resumed shortly after 12.30pm.
The magistrate granted the State it's request and barred the media from publishing the suspects' names or photographing them. The matter was adjourned to November 18 and proceeding will be held in-camera until the order is lifted by the magistrate.
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi briefs the media on the arrests of the four men who allegedly abducted Durban businesswoman, Sandra Moonsamy. Video: Sne Masuku.
The four men were charged with kidnapping, extortion, attempted murder, robbery and entering the country without a valid permit.
They have been charged with two counts of attempted murder, one alleged against Moonsamy and another for a security guard.
Moonsamy, 46, a daughter of the Naicker family who operates a heavyweight logistics, plant and road construction company, was kidnapped on May 30 and held captive until police tracked her to a house in eMalahleni (Witbank), Mpumalanga, last Thursday.
Gopz Govender the head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape gives the media an update on the abduction case of Durban businesswoman, Sandra Moonsamy. Video: Sne Masuku.
Moonsamy was abducted while driving in Pinetown, outside Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, heading to her family home in Westville.
None of the Moosamy family members was in court.
Gopz Govender the head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape gives the media an update on the abduction case of Durban businesswoman, Sandra Moonsamy. Video: Sne Masuku.