Latest news with #EasternCapeDivision
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
Trial of Lusikisiki massacre accused begins today
Three men, arrested in connection with the Lusikisiki mass murders. Image: NPA The long-awaited trial of six men accused of one of South Africa's deadliest mass killings begins on Monday, at the Lusikisiki Magistrate's Court. The case will be heard under a special sitting of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court. The trial follows the shocking massacre on September 28, 2024, when 18 people were shot and killed at two neighbouring homes in Ngobozana Village, near Lusikisiki. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The accused, Mzukisi Ndamase, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, Aphiwe 'AP' Ndende, Bonga Hintsa, Mawethu Nomdlembu, and Songezo Vuma, face serious charges, including 18 counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, and robbery. The National Prosecuting Authority says the trial is expected to run for 3 weeks until September 19 2025. All six men remain in custody. One of them, Ndamase, who is already serving a life sentence, is believed to have planned the attack from prison and will represent himself in court. IOL News
The Star
7 days ago
- The Star
Lusikisiki Mass Murder Trial Set to Begin Next Week
Staff Reporter | Published 6 hours ago The long-awaited trial of six men accused of one of the most brutal mass killings in recent South African history is finally set to begin on Monday, 28 July 2025. The trial will take place at the Lusikisiki Magistrate's Court under a special sitting of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court. This follows the horrific events of 28 September 2024, when 18 people were gunned down at two neighbouring homesteads in Ngobozana Village, near the rural town of Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed this week that eight weeks have been set aside for the trial, which is expected to run until 19 September 2025. NPA regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said all six accused will face multiple serious charges. The accused — Mzukisi Ndamase, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, Aphiwe 'AP' Ndende, Bonga Hintsa, Mawethu Nomdlembu, and Songezo Vuma — are facing 18 counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, and illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. 'These six individuals have all since abandoned their bail applications and will remain in custody throughout the trial,' said Tyali. According to the NPA, the accused were allegedly involved in a violent shooting spree that left the Ngobozana community in shock and mourning. The massacre, which happened on a Saturday evening, drew national attention and sparked calls for stronger action against violent crime in rural areas. Adding to the seriousness of the case is the alleged involvement of 46-year-old Mzukisi Ndamase, who is already serving a life sentence for a previous murder conviction. Authorities believe Ndamase orchestrated the Lusikisiki killings from inside the eBongweni Super Maximum Prison in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. Despite the gravity of the charges, Ndamase has chosen to represent himself in court. 'He has indicated to the court that he will conduct his own defence,' Tyali confirmed. Investigators have also linked the accused to another murder that occurred just weeks before the Lusikisiki massacre. On 19 August 2024, Mncedi Gijana, a local politician from KwaBhaca, was killed. The NPA says there is evidence connecting some of the same suspects to that crime as well. In a related update, the state withdrew charges earlier this year against two other suspects initially arrested in connection with the mass shooting. Lwando Abi and Zenande Paya were released in March after the NPA told the court that there was no longer enough evidence to proceed against them. Abi, who served seven years of a ten-year sentence for attempted murder in 2012, now has no pending cases. With those charges dropped, the focus now shifts fully to the remaining six accused. The case was transferred from Mthatha High Court to the Lusikisiki circuit court, where extra security is expected due to the high-profile nature of the matter and the number of victims involved. Residents of Ngobozana and surrounding areas have expressed relief that the trial is finally going ahead, hoping it will bring justice to the families of those who were killed. Community leaders have also called for counselling and support services to be made available for survivors and relatives of the victims.
Eyewitness News
08-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
Mbenenge tells tribunal that his relationship with Mengo was mutually flirtatious
JOHANNESBURG - The head of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, Selby Mbenenge, has told the Judicial Conduct Tribunal investigating allegations of sexual harassment against him that his relationship with High Court secretary Andiswa Mengo was a mutually flirtatious one. The judge president revealed to the tribunal that Mengo actually sent him photos of herself, prompting his compliments, but later deleted them. Mbenenge took his turn in the hot seat before the fact-finding body sitting in Sandton, Johannesburg, as it continues its misconduct probe against him. ALSO READ: - Mbenenge accuses evidence leader in his sexual harassment matter of failing to fully investigate claim - Mbenenge denies allegations that he attempted to expose himself to a junior staffer - Mbenenge says he's 'gone through a lot' since being accused of sexual harassment He said he did not feel like Mengo was uncomfortable with their conversations and said there had never been an explicit rejection of his advances. Mengo accuses the top judge of making unwanted sexual advances towards her between 2021 and 2022. However, Mbenenge said he understood her use of emojis on the social media platform, WhatsApp, to be flirty. 'I am a Xhosa man, and I know of something like, on the part of a lady, ukumutsa, is when you show interest in a lady, and in the Xhosa setup, they don't look you in the eye, bayamutsa, they look down. When somebody covers their face like this, for me, a Xhosa man, that is sufficiently flirtatious. These were flirtatious interactions.'
Daily Maverick
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Makhanda High Court orders immediate halt to illegal Wild Coast building
The court order follows an April 2023 knobkerrie assault on activist and Goldman Prize winner Nonhle Mbuthuma and fellow women residents while attempting to halt building work inside the protected coastal zone. Two years after a group of women were allegedly assaulted on a Wild Coast beach, the high court has granted an interdict which bars the construction of any further illegal structures along this protected environmental landscape. In a ruling earlier this month, the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Makhanda ordered that local resident Nero Dlamini (or his agents or contractors) be restrained and interdicted from constructing any new buildings within 1km of the sea near Sigidi village. The order, granted on 8 May 2025 by Acting Judge V Sangoni, follows a heated confrontation about the erection of illegal structures close to the beach almost two years ago. Local activist Nonhle Mbuthuma (joint winner of the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize) and fellow women residents were allegedly beaten with knobkerries while attempting to halt building work on a new structure inside the protected coastal zone in April 2023. Mbuthuma has played a central role in opposing plans for dune mining and a new toll road along this northern section of the Wild Coast. Shortly after the confrontation, Mbuthuma secured a Rule Nisi (interim interdict) from the high court to prevent further building close to the beach at Sigidi that was in conflict with Transkei Environmental Conservation Decree 9 (which prohibits construction of any buildings without a special permit). In the most recent ruling, the court also ordered Dlamini to rehabilitate any cleared land. The Sheriff of the Court was also directed to dismantle any illegal structures, with the assistance of the SA Police Service if required. Though the application was opposed, Dlamini and his legal representatives did not appear at the latest hearing. DM
Daily Maverick
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Judicial Conduct Tribunal highlights contested gendered and cultural understandings of emojis
Complicating matters at the hearing are completely divergent understandings of a range of emojis, from eggplants to peaches, from a dripping syringe to 'pervy' eyes, that shot between the Judge President and the legal secretary. Much is invested in the process and outcome of the Judicial Conduct Tribunal of Judge President of the Eastern Cape, Selby Mbenenge. This week, postponing the tribunal until 30 June, the chair, retired judge Bernard Ngoepe, repeated evidence leader advocate Salomé Scheepers' statement at the start of proceedings in February that the matter was 'unprecedented in the history of South Africa'. The complainant, 40-year-old legal secretary Andiswa Mengo, has accused the head of the Eastern Cape Division, Judge President Selby Mbenenge, 63, of sexually harassing her in a series of WhatsApps in 2021. At her side is formidable advocate Nasreen Rajab-Budlender, while Mbenenge has advocates Muzi Sikhakhane and Griffiths Madonsela in his corner. Both men, too, are formidable, but in quite a different fashion. Complicating matters are completely divergent views on gendered, linguistic and cultural understandings of a range of emojis, from eggplants to peaches, from a dripping syringe to 'pervy' eyes, that shot between the Judge President and the legal secretary. Power dynamics Most professional workplaces in South Africa have protocols and principles governing the role of leadership in hierarchical structures. This is something Rajab-Budlender has pointed out from the start. Yet this obvious power imbalance appears not to have moved Mbenenge's legal representatives, who have argued that Mengo had agency. They objected to proposed evidence to be presented by gender expert Dr Lisa Vetten, questioning its relevance. On Tuesday, Ngoepe ruled that Vetten would be allowed to testify and that he would 'rather err on the side of caution'. The tribunal could decide afterwards whether it was indeed relevant, he said. Language in pictures Last week, forensic linguist Dr Zakeera Docrat gave expert testimony with regard on the contexts of the WhatsApps between the Judge President and Mengo and the meaning of emojis. The YouTube transmissions of the tribunal have been marked 'GRAPHIC CONTENT' as a pre-warning to those watching the live proceedings online. Docrat had testified that Mbenenge's use of a banana, peach, eggplant and dripping syringe emojis had 'sexual connotations' and indicated that he wanted to be intimate with her. 'This was not a discussion about vegetables.' Docrat, who speaks, reads and understands isiXhosa, testified that Mbenenge's advances were unwanted and Mengo's responses – often featuring 'hysterical laughing' and 'embarrassed monkey' emojis – were because she did not know how else to react to his advances as he was her boss. Mbenenge, through his counsel, has admitted sending some of the messages and claims the relationship had been consensual. However, he has denied sending her a picture of his penis or asking her for oral sex in his chambers. The outcome of this tribunal will send a message to women and men about working rights in professional circumstances. In a country plagued by misogyny and patriarchal proprietary inclinations, the ruling must protect those with less agency. DM
