™ƒ–‹ —Šƒ’’› ‘˜‡” –”‹ƒŽ †‡Žƒ›

MBABANE – A citizen of Eswatini accused of murder in South Africa (SA) has expressed disappointment in the delay of his trial, which has dragged for almost five years.

Thabo Sibandze, who hails from Shiselweni, told the Sibasa Regional Court in Limpopo on February 13 that he wanted a fair trial to commence, as he had been kept in prison for almost five years without trial.

Sibandze (32) is facing a case of intimidating Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) employees, said to be whistle-blowers who mostly belong to the SA Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) and who were vocal against the district’s unlawful E300 million investment in the now defunct VBS Mutual Bank.

Appearance

According to information sourced from the Polokwane Observer yesterday, the courtroom where Sibandze made his appearance on the day was packed to capacity, mostly by SAMWU members employed by the municipality, as the accused appeared in court for the second time.

It was reported that this time he was without his co-accused, the Radzuma brothers (Ndivhuwo, Simon and Percy) as the Thohoyandou Magistrates

Court in October 2022 acquitted him of the murder of the two slain SAMWU members, Timpson Musetsho (50) and Ronald Mani (50).

The two were gunned down in separate incidents in January 2019, after they were vocal about the municipality’s investment in VBS.

Sibandze expressed disappointment at the delays in the case and appealed for a fair trial to start immediately.

Postponed

“My case is taking too long; I want a fair trial to start now. It has been almost five years and I’m kept in prison without trial. It is unfair for me because my case is being postponed time and time again,” he said in court after his case was again postponed, this time to March 13 for him to secure legal representation.

Sibandze, an Eswatini national, was initially arrested for intimidation on March 1, 2019, after some VDM, SAMWU members and councillors received intimidating calls.

He was also charged under the Immigration Act, as he did not possess the necessary documents to be in the country legally. Meanwhile, the pre -trial for the murder accused of the two slain Vhembe SAMWU members will get underway in the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou from March 20-24, according to the SA publication.