Johannesburg - The two men accused of killing Kgomotso Diale appeared at the Protea Magistrates court in Soweto on Friday.
The pair were back in court after the case was postponed last month to allow the accused to secure legal representation.
The two, Tebogo Molapo, 29, and Mokhabi Ngoanapudi, 33, are charged with two counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder and two counts of possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The second murder charge is in relation to the death of one of their accomplices, who was shot during their arrest when they exchanged fire with police.
The case has now been postponed to 29 June. This postponement is to allow for the court to determine the immigration status of the two suspects, as the two were not South African nationals, and it was unclear if they were in the country legally.
They will remain in custody until their next appearance in June.
Their immigration status will have huge ramifications for the two men as it is likely to inform whether or not they will be granted bail.
Kgomotso Diale was shot and killed, allegedly by Lesotho nationals, during clashes between members of the Pimville Kilpspruit community and residents of the Chicken Farm informal settlement in relation to the recent theft of power cables in the area.
Speaking before court proceedings began, community leader Kabetswe Malebo, who was present when Diale was killed, expressed his gratitude to the police for the work that they have done on the case.
He said: “We would really like to thank the SAPS for, yes, indeed, holding their word that they would find these suspects, you know. We are very much sure that these are the suspects because of the photos that have been circulating over the media. The evidence that I saw, I’m sure that one of the guns that shot was one of the guns that I also saw as a witness as a person that was there in the forefront”.
Malebo stated that he wanted the informal settlement of Chicken Farm to be removed as he believed the community harboured criminals, who he believed were mostly illegal immigrants from Lesotho.
Cable theft is fast becoming a major headache in the south of Johannesburg. During a meeting last night, residents of neighbouring Eldorado Park expressed their frustration at the rampant cable theft in the area. Newly appointed station commander Brigadier Mkhacani Maluleke informed the residents that the only way the SAPS would win the war against cable thieves was by partnering with the community.
IOL