Durban — Shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali BaseMjondolo at the eKhenana area in Cato Manor said the recent assassinations of their leaders were straining the organisation.
This comes after three leaders of Abahlali were assassinated just a few months apart.
Earlier this year, organisation activist and a leader of the Women’s League, Nokuthula Mabaso, was gunned down outside her home. In March, Abahlali’s deputy president, Ayanda Ngila, was shot and killed. Four months later, the chairperson of the eKhenana Commune, Lindokuhle Mnguni, was assassinated on August 20.
Mnguni’s memorial service was expected to take place on Thursday at the eKhenana Commune. His funeral is set to be held on Sunday.
On Wednesday, two suspects alleged to have killed Mabaso appeared in court for their bail hearing at the Durban Magistrate’s Court.
“The repression and the attacks at gunpoint have led to four of our members, including three leaders, being killed in the space of six months. These killings were assassinations. They were well planned and well financed by those who have vested private interests in the land that the community is using as a communal space. Siyabonga Manqele was murdered by masked police officers during a raid on the nearby eNkanini occupation,” read an Abahlali media statement.
It further stated that the revival of eKhenana would continue, despite the attacks.
Brothers and pastors Mhlanganyelwa John Ngubane, 70, and Samson Ngubane, 58, are facing charges of premeditated murder and robbery.
During the hearing, the pair’s attorney, Advocate Zulu, stated that the court should consider bail as they had been held in custody for a long time.
Zulu said the court should contemplate that his clients had been held for more than a month without any evidence linking them to the incident. He added that one of them was an elderly man who needed medical attention.
However, the State argued that the reasons given by the defence were insufficient to release the suspects.
The prosecutor, Govender, said it was also essential to understand that the suspects would probably interfere with the witnesses.
“It must not be forgotten that the deceased was intimidated before the killing. Those left to testify, and the community at large, were left in fear,” Govender said.
“We have witnesses who are very scared for their lives if the applicant is granted bail. In my opinion, if the suspect is released, justice will not have been served. I am saying this because it took a long time for them to be arrested, therefore if granted bail there is a big chance that they might try to escape,” said Govender.
He both the accused were accused of premeditated murder and should be jailed. The matter was postponed to September 6 for the bail bid decision.
Daily News