Murdered officer was alive in car boot
A WITNESS and participant has described to the Durban High Court how a Durban Public Order Policing officer was put inside two black refuse bags, lifted, and put inside the boot of his car after he was shot.
Nzuzo Khethokuhle Mngadi told this to the court while testifying yesterday in the Durban High Court in the trial into Zolani Leadus Zuma’s murder.
Mngadi’s cousin, Mzikayifani “Khayelihle” Ndebele, stands accused of the attempted murder of Zuma as well as Afrika Mthembu by shooting at them, he pleaded not guilty to these counts yesterday in court. Mthembu is Ndebele’s uncle. This is while Sibusiso Ndlela is charged with kidnapping and murdering Zuma, he also pleaded not guilty to these two counts.
It’s alleged that Zuma had been driving in his blue VW Polo, dressed in civilian clothes on the night of July 13, 2021, during the height of the looting unrest in KZN.
While driving, he came across Ndebele and the assailants who were helping people transport looted goods in a car that Mthembu was driving; the policeman followed them to a house in Tshelimnyama.
At the house, the officer confronted Mthembu and the assailants, producing his State firearm. Ndebele unarmed Zuma and allegedly shot him and in the process, a shot hit Mthembu in the knee.
Zuma’s car was found burnt the following day, his charred body was discovered in the boot.
Mngadi told the court how Zuma was still alive when he was put into two refuse bags and in the boot.
He described how that day, he had been sleeping and was awoken by voices arguing.
“I recognised some of the voices; it was my uncle and Khaye’s voices. We woke up and went outside. While exiting the house, I heard gunshots and we froze, we found my uncle outside injured.
“There was another male person who was also there injured. My uncle was seated on the ground and I saw blood on his knee.
“The man, I don’t know, had a hole in his forehead, that’s what I saw. There was blood coming out of this hole. It was not too dark but not too bright – but it was visible,” he said.
Mngadi said that Mthembu’s son Lungelo arrived at the scene and along with Ndebele, they took his uncle to St Mary’s Hospital, where he was dropped off.
He said when they returned, they found accused two (Ndlela), Duve and another person with the wounded officer.
“Duve said I must go fetch refuse bags and when I returned, he reversed the motor vehicle (Polo). He instructed all of us to put the man in the bags,” he said.
Mngadi said they put Zuma’s head in the one plastic and his feet in the second plastic covering his body, lifted him and put him in the boot of the Polo.
“Duve then said we must go; Lungelo got into his father’s Kia, Ndlela and the unknown man got into the Polo which Duve was driving. I stayed behind.
“I heard them discussing at the scene, Duve and Lungelo agreed that they were going to burn the person and the car.
“I had informed them I didn't want to be involved in that.”
The trial continues on Monday.