‘Seven Angels’ link to other murders

Four cult members held for slaying of KwaZulu-Natal church leader and wife

ONE more of the “Seven Angels” has appeared in court following the recent attack on the Ngcobo police station. Banele Mancoba, 30, the second leading member of the Seven Angels Ministries church to come to court, appeared before Ngcobo magistrate Nozuko Mviko alongside co-accused Siphenathi Mafikwana, 29.

They face charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Links between cases involving the “Angels” in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal came thick and fast yesterday.

This follows the arrest by a police task team of four members of the Angels Ministries in connection with the death of KwaZulu-Natal church leader Ndumiso Jali and his wife. Jali and his unnamed wife were shot dead at their Clydesdale, Umzimkhulu, premises early last month.

The Jalis were leading members of the controversial church and even housed the Mancobas on Jali’s land in Umzimkhulu – until the two families had a fallout.

Shortly before the Jali slayings, several of the Mancoba brothers were seen in the area and hours later demanded Jali’s corpse, saying he belonged to the church.

The couple were shot dead two weeks before the Ngcobo police massacre on February 21, which left five police officers and a soldier dead.

A number of Mancoba church members were arrested later in connection with the police slayings.

Two days after the massacre, on February 23, the Angels Ministries premises were the scene of a gun battle when a special police task team raided the compound and shot dead seven people, three of them Mancoba brothers and so-called “Angels”.

Andani Monco, 30, and Kwenele Ndlwana, 22, appeared in court in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday but were not asked to plead and were held over in custody until their next appearance.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane confirmed that two people had appeared in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with the murders.

“Two suspects aged between 20 and 30 appeared today in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court on two counts of murder and house robbery in which a pastor and his wife were killed and cash taken from their house last month.

“They were remanded in custody until March 31 for a bail application.”

Zwane was not sure what had happened to two other suspects believed to be in police custody.

On Sunday, Eastern Cape Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni confirmed that four suspects aged between 20 and 30 were arrested by police at the weekend in connection with the murder of the Jalis.

“The multidisciplinary task team led by the Hawks assisted in cracking the Umzimkhulu double murder case.

“Suspects arrested for the case also appeared in the Ngcobo Magistrate’s Court last week for the police killings,” Feni said.

Mancoba church founder Siphiwo Mancoba was killed in April 2015 at the Jali church premises.

At the time, Jali wanted Mancoba and his followers and their tents off his land but Mancoba refused.

The allegation is that the two had a fight and Mancoba was killed and his body burnt on the church premises.

Mancoba followers then left the premises, accusing Jali of the killing and promising to return and avenge their father’s death.

Banele Mancoba and Siphenathi Mafikwana were arrested at the weekend.

Both opted to conduct their own defence. They told the magistrate they did not want to apply for bail.

Banele is the second Mancoba brother arrested following the capture of Phuthumile Mancoba, 31, who appeared in court on Wednesday last week on charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Yesterday, both Mancoba and Mafikwana cut forlorn figures as they were led into the courtroom by heavily armed police.

Mancoba, wearing a hooded green jacket, did not turn to look at the gallery.

When asked whether he wanted a legal aid lawyer to represent him, Mancoba told the magistrate: “Ndizakuzithethela” [I will conduct my own defence].

Mafikwana also said he would conduct his own defence.

The case was postponed to April 30 for further investigation after the state told Mviko there were still statements that it needed to obtain from witnesses.

A third suspect arrested with the pair will appear in court today.