Thulani Holly Shozi, a man accused of murdering two Durban Metro Police officers and an ANC Youth League secretary, is facing an inquiry into the possible withdrawal of his bail. He was arrested by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) for allegedly conspiring to kill witnesses set to testify for the State. The witnesses are Section 204 witnesses, meaning they are people implicated in a crime who testify against their co-accused in exchange for the possibility of immunity from prosecution.
Shozi, along with his co-accused, is accused of the 2020 murders of Thamsanqa Gcabashe, Lindokuhle Madonsela, and Ndumiso Thusi in Mpumalanga township, Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal. Gcabashe and Madonsela were members of the ANC, with Gcabashe having been elected ANC Youth League secretary in February 2020. Madonsela and Thusi were employed as Durban Metro Police officers. The accused appeared briefly at the Durban High Court on Thursday alongside his co-accused for a pre-trial conference.
Shozi was previously out on bail when he appeared in the High Court. However, Judge Mfuniselwa Nkosi was told on Thursday that he was now in custody. The State has lodged an application for him to be detained. Sources close to the investigation said the PKTT apprehended Shozi after he appeared in the High Court for a pre-trial conference in October. Shozi conspired to kill the Section 204 witnesses, and now there is an inquiry for his bail to be withdrawn.
The inquiry into the possible withdrawal of Shozi's bail will be heard later this month at the Hammarsdale Magistrate's Court. In the past, pre-trial conferences, Shozi had repeatedly had issues of legal representation, which got him into trouble with Judge President Thoba Poyo-Dlwati. The judge warned him not to delay the families of the victims' justice. Thursday's pre-trial conference before Judge Nkosi was postponed to January.
The matter could then be certified trial-ready, with the trial scheduled to begin on February 22. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Lawrence Gcaba told the court that the State was prepared to proceed with the trial. The popular traditional healer, Khethukuthula Ncayiyana, who is identified as the alleged mastermind by the State, was arrested in July and denied bail.
Shozi's co-accused, Fana Shabalala, Zamokuhle Mnyandu, and Sandile Msezane, are out on bail, while the remaining co-accused are in custody. Supporters of Ncayiyana came out in numbers to support him on Thursday. The ANC and the South African Police Service (SAPS) have been working together to bring those responsible for the murders to justice.
The case has garnered significant attention due to the involvement of high-profile individuals and the nature of the crimes. The accused will have to face the consequences of their actions if found guilty. The families of the victims are awaiting justice, and the court proceedings will continue in the coming months.
Key points
- The accused, Thulani Holly Shozi, is back in custody over an alleged plot to kill State witnesses.
- The inquiry into the possible withdrawal of Shozi's bail will be heard later this month at the Hammarsdale Magistrate's Court.
- The trial is scheduled to begin on February 22, with the matter expected to be certified trial-ready in January.
