Sindiso Magaqa's widow relieved as murder accused are denied bail

The wife of slain ANC Youth League (ANCYL) general secretary Sindiso Magaqa has expressed her relief after three men accused for his 2017 murder were denied bail.

The men appeared in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Gugu Thobela said she could only hope that the rest of the case produced the same positive energy.

"We are quite relieved, there have been so many postponements. It's been more than a month now that we were waiting for this. We are happy with the outcome and only hope that more information will lead to similar desired results in the case," she told TimesLIVE on Wednesday.

Sibonelo Myeza, Mbulelo Mpofana and Mxolisi Ncalane appeared on charges of Magaqa's murder, as well as two counts of attempted murder in the shooting of councillors Jabu Msiya and Nontsikelelo Mafu.

It was reported that the plot to have Magaqa murdered is alleged to have begun in October 2016, nine months before he was fatally gunned down. Msiya and Mafu were with Magaqa when the SUV they were in came under attack.

During an appearance in April, the court heard how Myeza, a former cop and maritime operational manager, Mpofana, a "tenderpreneur", and Ncalane, also a former cop, had hired two hitmen, who were initially instructed to carry out the hit on July 12, the day before Magaqa was actually gunned down.

Thobela previously raised questions after charges were provisionally withdrawn against former Harry Gwala district mayor Mluleki Ndobe and municipal manager Zwelibanzi Sikhosana.

However, she refused to be drawn to comment on the earlier appointment of Ndobe as the deputy speaker of the KZN legislature. 

Ndobe was arrested on March 17 and detained for a week until charges were provisionally withdrawn against him, with the state citing a lack of sufficient evidence, on March 25.

After his appearance at the Umzimkhulu Magistrate's Court, following his release, Ndobe told the media that he "could be accused for anything, but definitely not murder or conspiracy to commit murder".

Meanwhile, police minister Bheki Cele welcomed the news.