On Tuesday, September 14, the 13 men and one woman accused of beating and setting alight nine young men in Zandspruit in May appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court for judgment on their bail application.
Out of the 14 accused, the court granted bail of R3 000 each to three applicants – Phakisa Tsengiwe, Phillimon Seemela and Phiwe Khubeka – who were found to be bound to the court’s jurisdiction by family and work.
Tebogo Mabula, Mziwamangware Witbooi, Njabulo Zwane, Klaas Masemola, Joshua Mabotze, Alfred Mollo, Peter Mufomadi, Douglas Tshuma and Charles Ramoshia were all denied bail, while Maxwell Mpofu and Everyone Moyo abandoned their bail applications.
Twelve of the accused are charged jointly with eight counts of murder, attempted murder, nine counts of kidnapping and nine counts of housebreaking.
The court heard from Investigating Officer, Sergeant Mathenjwa that in the Zandspruit community there are a Community Policing Forum (CPF) recognised by the police, as well as a group of people operating parallel to the recognised CPF which is not recognised by the police.
He further informed that the parallel group is alleged to be taking the law into their own hands in that they assault and kill suspected criminals instead of handing over suspects to the police as it is required.
The court further heard that these groups were at odds with each other over the methods used to bring alleged criminals to book.
During the evening of May 18 until the next morning a group of men and women from the Zandspruit community acted in consent by raiding the residences of a number of young men.
The men were kidnapped and assaulted in full view of families and friends, and later taken to a soccer field where nine of the victims were further assaulted and set alight.
Those who witnessed the horrific crime included children on their way to school and adults on their way to work.
After judgment was handed down for the bail application the matter was postponed to October 27.
