Scores of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members gathered at Tembisa Magistrate’s Court to oppose the bail application of an alleged murderer on July 20.
The accused, an EFF member, is alleged to have hired contract killers to murder a colleague after a dispute about land.
Ward 103 EFF vice chairperson David Machipi said on June 19, one of their members, Ngwako Peter Malatji, was fatally shot in Winnie Mandela Section.
“It was about 4pm when we were relaxing at a tavern with some of our members and the tavern owner. At about 4.50pm two men arrived and stood next to us. We did not know them. We thought they were there to buy something.
“Ngwako Malatji arrived from a car wash in Zone 8. When he was about to leave, one of the men was standing behind the car and the other in the front,” Machipi claimed.
When Malatji got into his car, the guy behind the car started shooting at him,” explained Machipi.
According to Machipi, everyone ran for cover.
“One of the gunmen opened the door on the passenger side and shot Malatji in the head. The gunman then took the deceased’s jacket and a plastic bag in the car and left.”
Machipi said they all watched from a distance as the scene unfolded. He said they were told the gunmen got away in two vehicles, a black TATA and a white Honda Civic.
“When we got to where the cars were said to have been parked, they were already at a distance. We had no car we could use to follow them,” said Machipi.
Machipi further explained one of their colleagues, whom they were sitting with, ran away during the shooting and never came back. This EFF member, appeared in Tembisa Magistrate’s Court for the bail application on July 20.
“We want him to tell the community why he disappeared on the day. He was working with Malatji where they were allocating stands to the community in Zone 6.
A community member, who wished to remain anonymous, said on the day the suspected killer disappeared, he dropped his phone. When the phone was checked, there were messages from the hitmen asking him if they shot the right person, Machipi alleged.
The community member said the arrested EFF member sold stands and wanted the deceased to give him a portion from the Zone 6 land earmarked for the community.
“Malatji did not give him the portion of land he wanted. While still alive, Malatji mentioned he got information about the arrested accused that he had hired hitmen to kill him following the demand he made on the land issue,” said a man who chose to remain anonymous.
The deceased’s sister said she was disappointed that the very same Zone 6 community her brother was fighting to secure the land for, did not assist in giving her brother a decent burial.
“I did not even get assistance from the national EFF body. What kind of help do they give to members who die while doing EFF work? Now I am left in debt with no one to help me,” said the deceased’s sister.
The Tembisan has contacted the national EFF office in Braamfontein to get comment. At the time of going to print, the office had not given a response.
The case was postponed to August 30.
