A security guard at the home of University of Fort Hare (UFH) vice-chancellor Prof Sakhela Buhlungu has described the terrifying moments leading up to the murder of Buhlungu’s bodyguard Mboneli Vesele in January 2023.
The guard, Mphumezi Mpintshana, told the Bhisho high court on Monday he phoned Vesele after hearing a volley of gunshots near Buhlungu’s home — unaware that Vesele had already been fatally shot just metres away.
Vesele had instructed the guards to call him immediately if there was a problem, Mpintshana said.
“I called Vesele first because he used to tell us that when there’s a problem he should be the first person called. I called him because I didn’t know what was happening. There was no answer. I started panicking.”
Eight accused — Zimele Chiliza, Mthobisi Khanyile, Nkosiyazi Maphumulo, Bafana Chiliza, Thamsanqa Mgwetyana, Lindokuhle Manjati, Phelisa Nkonyeni and Isaac Plaatjies — have pleaded not guilty to charges including Vesele’s murder, conspiracy to murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a semi-automatic rifle and a .38 revolver.
Chiliza, Manjati, Nkonyeni and Plaatjies, a former UFH director of investigations and vetting, also face charges of defeating the ends of justice.
It is alleged they encouraged Mgwetyana to flee to evade arrest and paid him money to do so, and that Plaatjies instructed him to destroy cellphone evidence.
The state is calling for the minimum prescribed sentence of life, arguing the murder was planned and premeditated and carried out by a group acting with common purpose. It is also seeking 15 years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a semi-automatic rifle.
Vesele was shot on January 6 2023 in Dikeni.
Mpintshana, who has worked at the university for five years, told the court that at about 8.15pm he saw a vehicle speeding past.
The high speed was scary. It made me sit on the tip of the chair in the guardhouse.
— Mphumezi Mpintshana, guard
“The high speed was scary. It made me sit on the tip of the chair in the guardhouse.”
He then saw the lights of another vehicle.
“I left the guardhouse and walked towards the gate. When I reached the small entrance, I peeped through the hole in the entrance and saw two vehicles about 10m away.
“When I looked at the vehicles their parallels were not normal [how the vehicles were positioned]. When I tried to look, I couldn’t see properly. All I could hear were voices.
“While trying to look at what was happening, I heard a gunshot. Another gunshot went off and afterwards there were multiple shots. Because I was so scared and not knowing what was happening, I hid behind the wall. As I was hiding the shooting continued and I didn’t know who was shooting.”
When the gunfire stopped, he returned to the guardhouse where the phone was ringing. Two other guards were calling to ask if he had heard the shots.
He then phoned Vesele, followed by his senior, reporting there had been a shooting at the vice-chancellor’s home. Back-up arrived about 30 minutes later.
“When they went outside they saw the vice-chancellor’s vehicle in the street. We were scared to get close to it. Those who got closer said they saw Vesele lying on the steering wheel. The vice-chancellor’s vehicle was the only one outside,” he said.
Under cross-examination, Mpintshana said he later saw the registration number of the speeding car in a frozen CCTV frame.
He did not know where Vesele had been before he was shot, nor was he aware of any threats against him. “I didn’t know who shot Vesele.”
The trial continues.
Former UFH employees Bongani Peter and Bongani Khuza, with former SRC member Sicelo Mbulawa, will stand trial separately in the East London high court from November 24 to December 5, after judge Igna Stretch granted an application for separation of trials.
Mthobisi Dlamini, who was initially charged with the others, entered into a plea agreement in August and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for the theft of a Jeep allegedly used in Vesele’s murder.
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