Durban — The murder trial of a teen activist who was shot and killed in 1989 was adjourned to sit for three days in November.
The case was adjourned to resume on 7, 8 and 9 November on Friday in the Durban Magistrate’s Court.
Gugulethu Wesley “Matiri” Madonsela alleged by the State to have been affiliated with an A-Team that worked with the Natal Security Branch is charged with the alleged murder of political activist 17-year-old Siphelele Nxumalo.
The trial began last Monday and was adjourned to resume on Friday where cross-examination of the State’s first witness, Phumelele Miya, was concluded.
Nxumalo was shot in Chesterville and died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds at the time, he was an activist with the United Democratic Front (UDF), which was affiliated with the ANC.
Miya was an eyewitness in the matter, she had been Nxumalo’s girlfriend for a little over a year when he was shot and killed.
After Madonsela’s counsel Bongani Cele had finished cross-examining Miya the State in the matter said it hoped to make sufficient headway over the three days set down for the resumption of trial.
“We hope by those three days we’d be in a position to have finished with whatever is on our side,” said senior state prosecutor advocate SH Ngcobo before the case was adjourned.
So far the court has heard that Madonsela was one of four men who approached Nxumalo and Miya, Madonsela and another named as Kuben pulled out firearms and shot Nxumalo.
Miya, who named the other two men as Msafu and E, testified that she ran and hid in a nearby bush, and from there she witnessed Madonsela and Kuben fire more shots at Nxumalo who was on the ground.
She testified that she only came out of hiding when the shooting had stopped and the men who she said were all friends of Nxumalo fled the scene.
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