Soweto tavern shootings: Suspects in court

Five suspects appeared in the Orlando magistrate’s court on Monday in connection with the massacre at Mdlalose's tavern in Soweto in which 16 people were shot dead in July.

The suspects appeared with their hands cuffed from behind. 

Due to ongoing investigations and the identity parade which is yet to be done, the media was barred from publishing the names and photographs of the suspects.

The suspects were remanded in custody and their case was postponed to October 18 for further investigations.

Residents from the Nomzamo settlement in Soweto filled the court to capacity on Monday morning. Some residents stood in the court corridor watching proceedings through windows.

JP Venter, the lawyer representing one accused, said of his client: “He was never on the list. He was never a suspect. Suddenly I got a call that he was arrested for this matter too. Initially, he told me they arrested him for obstruction of justice, but this morning he was also arrested for all the murders.”

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said there is a prima facie case against all the accused who appeared in court.

They are provisionally charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating the ends of justice.

She said two of the accused are South African nationals and the other three are from Lesotho.

Police made the arrests on Thursday and Friday.

Police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the suspects are being investigated in connection with the tavern shootings, the murder of a Lesotho musician in Kliptown in October and a double murder in Doornkop in 2021 in which two Basotho nationals were killed.

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