Fatal stabbing unites residents against crime
THE FATAL stabbing of a man on Hout Bay’s Main Road last week has united the community to stand up against crime, a local Community Policing Forummember has said.
Sive Gwaji, 18, Daniel Poni, 19, and Siphandla Tyholwana, 18, all from Hout Bay, appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with the murder of Nchikala Diddy Ngoy.
Ngoy, 27, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been killed close to a Hout Bay clinic last Wednesday.
According to the charge sheet, the three men were seen by a witness allegedly robbing Ngoy before stabbing him. He died at the scene.
Gwaji was arrested the day after Ngoy’s murder while Poni and Tyholwana were arrested two days after the incident.
Poni and Tyholwana had handed themselves over to police while Gwaji made an admission after his arrest and was allegedly linked to the crime by a witness.
The three men initially wanted to conduct their own defence, but the presiding magistrate cautioned them and advised that it was “a very serious offence”, and suggested they get legal representation. The men then opted to apply for Legal Aid. It is the State’s case that the men approached Ngoy in the road, tried to rob him and when they attacked him he fought back and was stabbed during the altercation.
The State is opposing bail, saying the men had previous convictions and that there was a concern for their safety after community representatives had contacted the investigating officer in the case.
The matter was postponed to July 23, when they were expected to apply for bail.
It was reported that Ngoy had been on his way home after his daily visit to the public library. His relatives had travelled from Vredenberg at 5am yesterday to attend court.
Roger Malila, who lived with Ngoy in Hout Bay, said they came to court because they wanted the magistrate to know they did not want the men to be released on bail.
“Still now, his parents are waiting for the body… we want our message to the magistrate to be that we don’t like this. They kill our brothers and the court gives them bail, the law must do its job but we don’t want bail.”
Ngoy’s death rockedHout Bay, with reports thatmuggings and violent attacks are becoming more common in the area. Some residents have rallied to raise money to assist in getting his body home.
JJ de Villiers, the Hout Bay policing forum’s chairman, said about 150 residents held a vigil on the day of the murder and have mobilised on social media.
He said the community’s stance on crime had been coming for a long time and that the vigil was “a great way for people within the community to speak out against crime”.
He said they hoped the judicial system would do its part regarding the perpetrators. “They have no place in our community.”