Buziwe Nocuze
Five suspects appeared in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court in Cape Town on Monday over the murder of Abongile Mafalala, an innocent man who was slain in a tragic incident of mistaken identity and mob justice last Tuesday.
Mafalala, a 31-year-old Uber driver, was beaten, stoned and set alight after a mob of Parkwood residents accused him of attempting to kidnap two young children earlier that day.
Some members of the mob were filmed beating the victim while others tore his car apart and set it alight.
Eric Ntabazalila, National Prosecuting Authority spokesman in Western Cape, said the five accused appeared at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and malicious property damage.
Their case was postponed to the following Monday for bail information and for the docket to be sent to the DPP office.
In addition, the delay was necessary to determine if an advocate would be appointed for the case and for some of the accused to get private attorneys.
The court was advised that more arrests would be made.
Mafalala’s family hopes that the suspects will be found guilty of murdering him.
His girlfriend Zandile Maweza said that many people turned up to support the suspects when they arrived in court.
“Seeing people accused of killing my boyfriend made my blood boil,” Maweza told Scrolla.Africa.
Meanwhile the victim’s sister Khuselwa Mafalala said she wants to bury her brother in peace. She said that even if the five suspects are found guilty of his murder, many people who participated in the killing will still roam the streets.
