Pietermaritzburg security boss Bruce Sibusiso Mhlongo was served with a suspension letter from the private security industry regulatory authority in the Pietermaritzburg magistrate’s court on Wednesday.
This is according to W/O Cosmos Sipho Zondi, who took the witness stand on Tuesday at the Pietermaritzburg magistrate’s court during Mhlongo’s bail application.
The Njoms Security owner was arrested last week in connection with the murder of Thabani Innocent Zondi, 48, a Khethindlelenhle Primary School teacher and KwaPata Taxi Association deputy chair, who was shot dead on February 22 2022.
Police spokesperson Lt-Col Robert Netshiunda said the teacher was found in the driver’s seat of his car with multiple gunshot wounds and at least 21 spent cartridges.
Mhlongo, said to be the alleged mastermind of the shooting, is pleading not guilty to the crimes.
Zondi said on the sidelines of the bail application on Monday that a Psira (Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority) representative had come to court to notify Mhlongo about the move.
Zondi is attached to the provincial murder and robbery unit based in Durban and has more than 35 years in police service.
He said the Thabani Zondi’s murder was aimed at “finishing them off” in the KwaPata area.
“They (Thabani) and Mnyandu, who was the chair of the KwaPata taxi association, were in charge of the area. They were the people who wanted to take over [the security of the route],” said Zondi.
He said on the day of the shooting Zondi had left school and while driving on the road he was ambushed. He died immediately and was robbed of his firearm.
He alleged there was an attack on Mnyandu before Zondi’s killing.
He said Mhlongo had used people to do “naughty deeds” and supplied them with guns to carry out their killings.
He said the docket had previously been closed as evidence had not been gathered.
He said they were relying on section 204 witnesses to prove their case.
He said the witness safety was at risk as one of them had been killed while another was languishing at the Ebongweni maximum correctional facility in Kokstad,
He maintained that the slain witness was killed to be silenced.
“The witnesses informed us that Mhlongo had phoned, met and gave them the bags of weapons for them to carry out their work. One of the witness who is under protection has informed the police of the work they do. The witness feels they were being used,” said Zondi.
He said the witness in prison was also not safe as the the security boss is highly connected.
The court heard Mhlongo had no previous convictions.
During the delayed court hearing police reinforcements monitored proceedings and a packed public gallery scrambled to find seats in the small court room.
Mhlongo is popular in Pietermaritzburg for his hard-line approach to crime.
Zondi denied allegations levelled against him and fellow policeman by Mhlongo that they were in cahoots with drug cartels.
He also poured cold water on Mhlongo’s evidence in chief in which he claimed he was working with police intelligence to curb crime related to the taxi association.
“There is a difference between being an informer and working with the cops. Had this been the case I would have known about this case since I have been working on it and have the docket,” said Zondi.
He dismissed Mhlongo’s evidence in which he fingered Mnyandu for orchestrating the killing of his deputy.
He said the cailbre of firearm used in Zondi’s murder and an attack on Mnyandu, in which his grandson was killed, was the same.
He said prior to Mhlongo’s arrest he was not aware of him, although he would later learn that Mhlongo knew him.
Zondi said he had scanned some social media sites and got more information on social media platforms Facebook and TikTok.
Defence advocate Futhi Cabe questioned him about the time it had taken to verify Mhlongo’s address, 13 days after his arrest.
“Why is it that an address which is 17km away had not been verified?” asked Cabe.
Zondi said he verified his company in Boom Street.
“You must remember after Mhlongo’s first appearance, the matter was adjourned to October 30. While I was in Ntuzuma I got a call informing me the matter was remanded to a closer date which disorientated me,” said Zondi.
Cabe also questioned why Zondi said he didn’t trust him, when he claimed not to know him.
“I would trust him as he is a security company owner but after following him online there is something that is not right,” said Zondi
The matter was adjourned to Thursday.
TimesLIVE
