The families of the four who were shot and killed by the police at the intersection of Duffs and Dumisani Makhaye KwaMashu on March 20 last year are still grieving.
This was seen outside the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court, following the appearance of three police officers accused of committing this crime.
Among them are Mr. Sfiso Maphumulo, Vusumuzi Phewa and Menelisi Rabi.
They are facing two counts of murder.
In the incident, four people were killed. They saw Mr. Nicholus Biyela, Nathi Biyela, brothers Mr. Sanele Ntuli and Mr. Nhlakanipho Ntuli.
When the incident happened, the police in the province issued a statement saying that the dead, who were wanted for a series of crimes, fired first, and the police returned fire, and they died.
However, after that statement, a video that was recorded by a passer-by went viral on social media, showing the dead lying on their stomachs, with the police standing next to them.
This then raised questions from the families as well as on social media as to when they shot first when they appeared in the video showing that they obeyed the police order to lie down on their stomachs.
Mr Thamsanqa Ntuli, the father of the Ntuli brothers, speaking to the media revealed that although the dead were staying at the Mashu hostel, they were from Melmoth and Showe.
He said he was a little grateful for the accused appearing in court.
“Even if it hasn’t come to the point where I can see that justice is being done because it has been a long time since the incident happened. My children were killed by the police for no reason,” said Ntuli.
He said there was no police station he did not visit to find out what crimes his children had committed.
“In all the stations I visited, when I mentioned their names, they said there were no cases against them,” said Ntuli, who also revealed that the dead had never been arrested.
He pointed out that their murder was a conspiracy they had put together for political reasons, and he said that they suspected that the person who arrested them was the one who called them to the meeting, but did not reveal his name.
“What makes me sad is this person who called my children to the meeting. He has never appeared once to make us cry in the family. I don’t care if he kills me too because there is nothing for me to live for if my children will be abused without sin,” he said.
He said that if the dead were guilty, why were they not arrested. He said justice was eagerly awaited.
Outside the court, the media also spoke to the Head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Mr. Jonathan Chetty, who said they received a complaint in March last year following the shooting of the suspects.
“At that time, the police revealed that the dead shot first, and then they retaliated. There was a conflict of evidence. It will be remembered that a video of them lying on the ground next to the Polo was spread on social media, and that is what led to an investigation that eventually led to the case going to court,” said Chetty.
He said they always preach to the leadership of the police that the police should be careful to use a rag when they are facing the suspects. “They should do what is in line with the law. The use of force should only happen if the situation is compelling. The police should do their job, shoot only if their lives are really in danger,” said Chetty.
He said the national IPID office will clarify how two murder cases were brought against the suspects when four people were killed.
He mentioned that the investigation revealed that there was no connection between the dead and the crimes they were accused of.
Inside the court, the State stated that since the suspects appeared, the evidence required for the trial has been completed, and the case is ready for trial. The magistrate then adjourned the case to August 25 to identify the court where it will be heard.
When the suspects appeared, they were wearing masks and hiding their faces. It was noticed that there was a large number of police inside the court as well as outside. There were also a number of members of the public protesting outside the court which turned out to be from the Mashu hostel.