Durban - A security company boss yesterday denied that he gave orders for the murders of two stud farm employees in the Midlands.
Rudolph Struwig pleaded not guilty to two charges of murder and one of attempted murder at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.
He is charged with the murder of Simphiwe Ndlovu and the attempted murder of his son, Dennis Ndlovu, at St Ives stud in Howick on June 10, 2004, and the murder of Mandla Masango at Rathmor Stud Farm on October 5, 2004.
The State alleges that Stuwig, who owned Mapogo A Mathamaga security company, had procured guards in his employ to carry out the killings.
It is alleged that he provided a vehicle and firearm that was used in the attack on the Ndlovus, and that he supplied a bakkie to the assailants who ambushed and killed Mandla Masango four months later.
Testifying on Monday, Dennis Ndlovu described how they were both attacked by gunmen at St Ives farm.
The father and son were in the bakkie when they were shot at.
“I heard the sound of gunshots and I saw the window at my father’s head explode. My father shouted at me to go, but I couldn’t,” Ndlovu said.
He said that he had driven to the house of the owner, Adrian Wingfield, and hooted for help. Ndlovu said he was shot in his left arm and that the bullet was still lodged in his elbow.
He told the court that he’d seen his father “bleeding a lot and becoming weak”.
Ndlovu said he was not aware of allegations - said to be contained in statements made by Wingfield and former farm owner Bev Rodseth - that before he died, his father had indicated that a person by the name of Christopher was involved in the shooting.
The trial continues today. One of the witnesses expected to be called by the State is Lucky Mlangeni, who is serving a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to his involvement in the shootings in 2008.
Daily News