THE four men charged with conspiring to kill Nyonemhlophe High School principal Nkosinathi Zondi, were granted bail at the Umlazi Magistrate Court on Tuesday this week.
Ugu department of education district director Mfundi Sibiya (55) Gobhela Primary School principal Lindani Mkhize (40), Bonguzwane High School principal, Umzumbe ward 16 councillor Mhlengi Luthuli (39) and former school principal Xolani Myeza (38) were arrested earlier this month for allegedly instructing Andile Zulu and Lungisani Makhoba to kill Zondi.
Ndondile Shezi, Sandile Mzizi, and Zulu were arrested and charged with murder last December. The charges against Shezi and Mzizi were withdrawn this year, while Zulu and Makhoba were refused bail. Mzizi, who was a school governing body chairman at Khathi High School in Mthwalume, turned state witness.
Zondi, who was also the regional chairman of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) on the Lower South Coast, was shot five times outside his Umlazi home and died on the scene.
Sibiya was granted R5 000 bail while Mkhize, Luthuli and Myeza were granted R3 000 bail each. Before Magistrate Surej Harillal made his bail decision the state prosecutor Yuthika Munasur revealed that even though Mzizi had turned state witness, he could not be placed under the witness protection programme, since he is facing another charge and would appear in the Ramsgate High Court on May 9 for his bail application.
“The department of education started following the matter when principal Zondi was killed,” said the department of education spokesman, Muzi Mahlambi.
He added that the department is aware that the three officials were granted bail. However, there was still going to be a meeting to discuss a way forward and what steps the department would take next.
