Johannesburg - The community of Nomzamo in Orlando East has vowed to take the law into their own hands if the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court grants bail to the six accused of the tavern massacre in the early hours of July last year.
The tavern bloodbath resulted in the deaths of 16 people, including teenagers, when unknown gunmen opened fire inside the KwaMdlalose tavern.
Scores of community members carrying machetes and other traditional weapons marched outside the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court while the accused appeared in court yesterday.
Speaking to the court community representative and father of one of the slain, Zwelibanzi Nzimade said the community was still angry and would not hesitate to take the matters into their hands should bail be granted to any of the suspects in custody.
“I can safely confirm, without fear or favour that we as families and the community will not hesitate to take the matter into our own hands should the magistrate grant any of the accused bail. Anyone can agree that the people do not deserve bail.”
“If you were there on the day of the incident and after seeing our children being murdered like dogs, you would agree that they do not deserve bail.”
“Should they be given bail, we will not hesitate to kill them with our bare hands,” Nzimande told the court.
Outside court, members of the community continued to march and sing Struggle songs as they awaited the outcome of the bail hearing.
A senior Hawks police officer linked to the Nomzamo tavern massacre was granted bail in his absence by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
This is as community members from Nomzamo protested outside the court against the bail application of accused number 3 who was not in court as he was reportedly in hospital.
The Star