Johannesburg - The Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga postponed the cases against former Mkhondo executive mayor Vusi Motha and co-accused Wellington Sangweni for judgment on bail next week.
The two accused, Motha is facing a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm, while Sangweni was charged with fraud, contravention of the Firearms Control Act, and contravention of the PSIRA Act.
They appeared in court yesterday in another attempt at a bail application.
Mpumalanga SAPS also arrested three other accused who were charged with three counts of murder, attempted murder, and theft of a firearm: Andile Mondli Gamede, 32; Blessing Nhlakanipho Ntombela, 30; and Blessing Bongani Dlamini, 38. They were arrested in relation to the murder of Ward 12 councillor Sbonelo Mthembu Ntshangase, 36, and his friends Sandile Khumalo, 51, and Sizwe Mbingo, last month.
NPA Mpumalanga spokesperson Monica Nyuswa told The Star that Motha will appear before another magistrate on February 13, 2023, in the same court, while the case against Sangweni has been postponed to February 14, 2023, for a judgement on bail.
This case has divided residents of Mkhondo; some want the accused to remain in jail, while others want them to be granted bail.
After the killings of the three, there had been a spate of violence in the area, and some members of the ANCYL were seen having bodyguards, which meant that locals were not safe.
Attending the case yesterday, there were two groups protesting outside the court: one said they wanted the accused to be granted bail, while the other wanted the court to refuse bail.
ANCYL Regional Secretary Maqhawe Mlotshwa, speaking on behalf of those who do not want the two accused to get bail, said the situation in Mkhondo is very bad.
"The citizens of Mkhondo have been terrorised unprovoked by one person (Motha) for quite too long, working in collaboration with some of the few corrupt police officers, because we have been reporting some of the incidents but nothing was done. We have witnessed our ANC Gert Sibande deputy chairperson Muzi Manyathi gunned down, now councillor Ntshangase and others killed."
He said the community came to court because they sought justice, and he said the court will prove one day who killed their comrades.
"We are against Motha getting bail because he has lots of money, he has stolen from the municipality, and he is going to order another hit if he gets bail. If he gets bail, he is going to kill us. We have already prepared our families that one day we are going to be killed. If released, there is going to be bloodshed," said Mlotshwa.
Motha’s supporters said the accused should be granted bail because he is not connected to the murder case but was arrested because of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
Magugu Masuku, who is leading the group that is supporting Motha, said he should be released on bail.
"We want Motha to be granted bail because he was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. We heard that Sangweni handed the gun to Motha, and that is what the magistrates said. We don’t know about the other things that are being said outside, the magistrates had not added more charges as far as we know Motha has a right to get bail, he will not evade court, he has houses here in Piet Retief, he needs to be with his family," said Masuku.
He said nothing in terms of violence is going to happen if Motha gets bail, and he insisted that the community has to obey the law.
The Star