Durban - A man accused of killing a tuckshop owner and her five children in their home appeared briefly in the Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court near Durban on Tuesday.
The case against Tshepang Mokhali, 25, who faces six counts of murder, was postponed to Thursday for the indictment to be served and for a trial date in the Durban High Court to be set.
Mokhali was arrested in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape on January 17.
It is alleged that he shot and killed Maselina Leneah, 38, and her five children, aged between two and 14, in the Mzinyathi area of Inanda in December 2012.
The children were Khalalelo Bobora, 14, Tumelo, nine, Karabo, seven, Simpiwe, five, and three-year-old Takiso Bobora. All were stabbed several times.
A toddler, believed to have been between 14 and 18 months at the time, survived the attack strapped to Maselina's back.
Last week police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said: "It is alleged that he robbed the family, who are his relatives, and killed them to cover up the robbery."
The man apparently fled to Lesotho after the incident and was arrested after he came to visit a relative in Matatiele.
Prior to Mokhali's appearance, a Sapa journalist was told he could not attend the court proceedings with his laptop and without first having obtained written permission to take notes in court.
The journalist demanded to be arrested if he was to be prevented from covering Mokhali's appearance without the necessary permission.
After a discussion with three other senior court officials, who were informed about the right of the media to attend court hearings, he was allowed to continue taking notes.
The reporter was told there would be no requirement for him to seek permission.
Sapa