Suspended Walter Sisulu University (WUS) acting residence manager Manelisi Mampane spoke about the events that led to him opening fire on protesting students, killing third-year student Sisonke Mbolekwa, 24.
Testifying in the Mthatha magistrate’s court on Tuesday, he said: “I’m sorry for the loss of life and injured people on the day, specially to the families of those people, but if I had not fired on that day, my family and I would have died.”
He said he believed he was justified in discharging his firearm on April 15 at the Nelson Mandela Drive campus in Mthatha.
Mampane, 54, a teacher by profession, said on the day he was in his bedroom while his wife, Nomanono, was in the kitchen getting their children ready for school.
He heard noise outside and his wife told him there were people there to see him.
He went to the kitchen and saw “many people, all men, covering their faces”, one carrying a tyre.
He said the men shouted: “Here’s this dog, break down the door so we can get inside.”
“Out of shock, I ran to the bedroom, grabbed the gun and returned to the kitchen thinking I could fire a shot upward so they would disperse.
“When I came back, they were kicking in the door. That’s when I decided to shoot.”
Mampane, testifying in his bid to be released on bail, said the firearm had belonged to his late father, and to his knowledge it was licensed.
Days before the shooting, his mother, Nonzwakazi, had asked him to take it from her home in Willowvale, fearing it would be stolen.
Mampane had previously taken the firearm to the Willowvale police station where he was allegedly told firearms were not kept there unless it had been involved in a crime.
He was advised to take it to East London. He drove back to Mthatha intending to take it to East London when he had petrol.
Mampane faces charges of murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to commit a crime and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
Lizwa Ndzumo, 19, was wounded in the shooting. Mampane faces the charge of attempted murder in connection with the shooting.
Mampane told the court: “I’m very sorry to the families. I sincerely apologise because I thought I was firing in the air. I would feel bad if the bullets that injured people came from the firearm.”
He said after he had ceased firing, he heard shots from outside.
“I was fearing for my life and that of my family. The utterances made by them [the students] made me believe it was over for me.”
At the start of his testimony, Mampane’s attorney, Sakhumzi Nombambela, asked him why he was trembling, was it through fear or was he cold?
He answered it was out of fear, adding he was “still shaken from being afraid”.
Mampane testified that after opening fire, the group dispersed.
When the family tried to escape, their car was pelted with stones and set on fire while his children were inside it.
One of the people with a covered face pulled the children out. His wife was injured during the stoning.
The police later helped the family flee the campus.
“On the same day we opened a case relating to the torching of the car at the Central police station in Mthatha before we drove to a place of safety outside Mthatha in a car provided by the university.”
Accompanied by his attorney, Mampane handed himself over to police two days later.
If I had not been attacked that day, I would be working today. My wife and children would be staying with me and I would know about their wellbeing. My car wouldn’t be burnt. They wouldn’t be staying at a safe house and having to find my children [a new] school. My wife wouldn’t be injured and my life wouldn’t be destroyed the way it is.
— Manelisi Mampane
On Tuesday, Nombambela told the court he had written to the police on April 29, inquiring about the firearm licence, and submitted a copy of the application to magistrate Sibusiso Xolo.
Relatives of Mbolekwa, including his mother, and Ndzumo were in the gallery.
Scores of students dressed in black T-shirts calling for justice for Mbolekwa picketed outside the court.
Mampane said he was his family’s breadwinner, supporting his unemployed wife and children.
He wanted to be released on bail and said he could afford between R2,000 and R5,000.
He said he had no previous convictions or pending cases.
“If I had not been attacked that day, I would be working today. My wife and children would be staying with me and I would know about their wellbeing.
“My car wouldn’t be burnt. They wouldn’t be staying at a safe house and having to find my children [a new] school.
“My wife wouldn’t be injured and my life wouldn’t be destroyed the way it is.”
He said it was the first time he had seen such an attack. In the past, he testified, when students had issues they would be resolved.
Asked by state prosecutor Siphokazi Maarman in cross-examination why he had not revealed he had been placed on precautionary suspension on April 16, the day after the shooting, Mampane said it did not come up in questions asked.
Maarman will continue to question Mampane on Wednesday.
Daily Dispatch
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