Three men arrested in connection with the brutal killing of 13 people by fire in an RDP house in Taylor’s Halt, Pietermaritzburg, last month have made a brief court appearance.
Mthobisi Makhathini, 28, Sanele Phetha, 40, and Mandisa Ngcobo, 29, all appeared at the Pietermaritzburg magistrate's court on Monday.
The trio faces 13 counts of murder, four of attempted murder, and arson. They were arrested on Tuesday.
It is alleged a group of heavily armed men stormed an RDP house in KwaMpande on May 14 and set it alight.
Eight people were burnt to death, while others succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
Another dead body was found with burn wounds in bushes a short distance from the scene
In court, Makhathini said he had no previous conviction or pending cases, while Phetha said he was previously convicted of robbery in 2016 and was sentenced to eight years but only served four.
Ngcobo told the court he had a pending case of possession of illegal firearms, for which he was due back in court on Wednesday.
Initially, police had said there were four people arrested, and it is alleged one suspect was released.
All accused opted for private attorneys.
The state said it was opposed to all three accused being released on bail. The state also asked for the matter to be postponed to Monday, June 26, for a bail application hearing.
After the matter was adjourned, Ngcobo asked to speak. He told the court he didn't know the charges he was being accused of and also didn't know the two other accused in his matter.
However, his legal attorney intervened and advised the court he would engage his client privately.
When visiting the area, TimesLIVE was told the house belonged to a “drug dealer”, with “addicts visiting the property to buy and smoke whoonga capsules”.
A survivor said there were about 18 people in the house at the time of the incident, all of whom were smoking, and five men armed with guns, pangas and batons walked in claiming to be police officers.
They had a list of names, including that of the “dealer” — who had left for hours — but none of them was there, he added.
The men allegedly said they didn't want drugs being sold in this house any more.
Those who couldn't escape were butchered with pangas and beaten and further ordered to undress and locked into a tiny bathroom.
The man allegedly said they poured petrol all over it and set it alight.
TimesLIVE
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Trio appears in court for deaths of 13 people in KZN 'drug den' blaze
Image: SANDILE NDLOVU
Three men arrested in connection with the brutal killing of 13 people by fire in an RDP house in Taylor’s Halt, Pietermaritzburg, last month have made a brief court appearance.
Mthobisi Makhathini, 28, Sanele Phetha, 40, and Mandisa Ngcobo, 29, all appeared at the Pietermaritzburg magistrate's court on Monday.
The trio faces 13 counts of murder, four of attempted murder, and arson. They were arrested on Tuesday.
It is alleged a group of heavily armed men stormed an RDP house in KwaMpande on May 14 and set it alight.
Eight people were burnt to death, while others succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
Another dead body was found with burn wounds in bushes a short distance from the scene
In court, Makhathini said he had no previous conviction or pending cases, while Phetha said he was previously convicted of robbery in 2016 and was sentenced to eight years but only served four.
Ngcobo told the court he had a pending case of possession of illegal firearms, for which he was due back in court on Wednesday.
Initially, police had said there were four people arrested, and it is alleged one suspect was released.
All accused opted for private attorneys.
The state said it was opposed to all three accused being released on bail. The state also asked for the matter to be postponed to Monday, June 26, for a bail application hearing.
After the matter was adjourned, Ngcobo asked to speak. He told the court he didn't know the charges he was being accused of and also didn't know the two other accused in his matter.
However, his legal attorney intervened and advised the court he would engage his client privately.
When visiting the area, TimesLIVE was told the house belonged to a “drug dealer”, with “addicts visiting the property to buy and smoke whoonga capsules”.
A survivor said there were about 18 people in the house at the time of the incident, all of whom were smoking, and five men armed with guns, pangas and batons walked in claiming to be police officers.
They had a list of names, including that of the “dealer” — who had left for hours — but none of them was there, he added.
The men allegedly said they didn't want drugs being sold in this house any more.
Those who couldn't escape were butchered with pangas and beaten and further ordered to undress and locked into a tiny bathroom.
The man allegedly said they poured petrol all over it and set it alight.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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