BY PHUMLANI SAUL
Five men charged with the murders of nine people and the attempted murder of another, appeared in the KwaNobuhle Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where their case was postponed to October 24.
Luvuyo Madela, 29, Nkosinathi Zonke, 30, Ludwe Djantjies, 29, Smiselo Lukwe, 26, and Siyabulela Ndamase, 34, were arrested between Friday morning and Saturday night after a shooting rampage in the Kariega township on Thursday.
The victims were finally identified by the police as Lizo Ntantawe, 26, Siphiwo Mtana, 53, Wamkelo Lukashe, 37, Siphosethu Jonas, 23, Misumzi Willie, 26, Zukisa Sokhiya, 25, Siyamthanda Vusani, 24, and Siyamthanda Spogter, 18.
The identity of the ninth person killed has not yet been released.
The state has already indicated that it will oppose bail, with at least three of the accused facing unrelated murder charges for which they were out on bail at the time of Thursday’s mass shooting.
The men appeared in court under heavy police guard on Monday morning before being escorted back to the St Albans prison, where they remain in custody.
During their brief court appearance, it emerged that one of the men needed time to appoint a legal representative.
The remaining accused are represented by Legal Aid SA.
Chaos had erupted in the large township on Thursday.
In the first incident, at about 11.45am, police attended to a shooting in Mabi Street where the bodies of four men were found in a Mazda 323, with a fifth lying a few metres from the car.
In the second incident, at about 12.10pm, the bodies of three men were found in Zola Nqini Street.
The sole surviving victim, also with multiple gunshot wounds, was discovered lying behind the vehicle and transported to hospital for treatment.Later that same day, the body of a man aged between 18 and 25 was found lying on the side of the road in Rooihoogte near KwaNobuhle.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene had ordered a 72-hour activation plan on Thursday evening to track, trace and arrest the culprits.
By Friday morning, four men had been taken in for questioning and by Sunday they were formally charged.
The police team had established that a white Toyota Quantum was used in the commission of the murders and had worked around the clock to trace the vehicle.
The vehicle was eventually spotted at about 6.10pm on Saturday, travelling from Langa township in Kariega towards town, and a 34-year-old man apprehended.
Daily Kasi News 