MBOMBELA – A number of high-profile cases have been scheduled for October. Controversial cases have been placed on the court rolls in Mbombela, Lydenburg and Barberton.
• The poaching case against the so-called SANParks five continued yesterday in the Circuit High Court in Lydenburg. They are Mr Duncan Mnisi, Mr Tiyene Mabunda, Mr Charles Mabunda, and husband and wife, Mr Doctor Mabuza Mgwenyama and Ms Elleraine Jennifer Brown. Mnisi, both Mabundas and Mgwenyama were arrested on February 29, 2012 after tourists came across two dehorned rhino carcasses near Pretoriuskop in the kruger National Park (KNP) on February 27 that year. During their bail hearing, it was testified that Mnisi was driving an official vehicle on the night of the alleged poaching. Apparently him, the Mabundas and Mgwenyama assisted in removing the horns of the rhinos which Mgwenyama shot. In May 2013, a fifth suspect, provincial traffic official, Brown, was arrested. The case was transferred to Lydenburg on August 31. At the time of going to press, the outcome of their appearance was not known.
Read about the SANParks Five here.
• City of Mbombela ward councillor, Mr Mandla Mamba, is set to appear on charges of robbery and malicious damage to property in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Mamba and his co-accused, Messrs Sihle Nkambule, Sabelo Mlotshwa, Themba Mwali and Gift Mnisi, were arrested on September 10. It is alleged that the men set alight the home of a murder suspect. When firefighters arrived to extinguish the blaze, community members attacked them and robbed one firefighter of his firearm. The murder suspect whose house was set alight, was arrested along with two others for allegedly killing a man earlier the same day. Mandla and his co-accused were granted bail on September 13. The murder case is still continuing.
Click here for more on Mamba’s arrest.
• Four men accused of stealing 112 rhino horns from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) were scheduled to appear in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Friday. Messrs Gideon Mtshali, Sizwe Leonard Malatjie, Selby Khoza and Velly William Zwane, were arrested in 2014 after the horns had allegedly been stolen from a safe at the MTPA offices in April that year. Mtshali, Malatjie and Khoza were arrested in June. Zwane handed himself over to the police in July. They were granted bail of R20 000 each. At the time of going to print, the outcome of their court appearance was not known.
Click here for more on the theft of 112 rhino horns.
• A syndicate allegedly robbed Mopani Pharmacy and Toy Zone on April 26. Ten men broke into the stores and filled bags with toys and perfume. After receiving a break-in alert, Hi-Tech Security’s armed response unit rushed to the scene. A shoot-out between the robbers and the armed-response unit ensued. The robbers fled in the direction of Barberton. Their two getaway vehicles veered off the road and five of the suspects were arrested. Messrs Tebogo Moloantoa, Edward Marion Matthys, Alista Ferris, Baltazar Nkabinde and Ishmael Smith appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court two days later. They were accused of robbing a business, housebreaking with the intent to rob, and robbery with aggravating circumstances. They appeared in court again on Thursday.
Read more on the perfume gang here.
• The case against former provincial Hawks head, Gen Simon Mapyane, is set to continue in the Nelspruit Regional Court on October 13. Mapyane is accused of allegedly claiming travel expenses for official trips he never undertook. He was arrested in May 2014 and released on bail of
R1 000. According to the charge sheet, Mapyane requested remuneration, amounting to more than R13 000, on various occasions. In a separate hearing earlier this year, the SAPS’ disciplinary committee found Mapyane guilty of misrepresentation.
Read more on Mapyane’s case.
• Mr Paul Mathebula and Mr Selby Mabila, the two men accused of kidnapping, robbing and killing Ms Annatjie Myburgh on June 15, will appear in the Nelspruit Regional Court again on October 28. Myburgh’s disappearance was followed by a four-day search that involved hundreds of community members. Her body was discovered in the Hazyview/Numbi area on the fourth day. The Pajero she had been driving when she was abducted from her yard was found in the KaBokweni area. Mathebula and Mabila were arrested in the 24 hours that followed.
Read: Annatjie Myburgh confirmed dead.
