Cape Town - An alleged dispute over payments concerning a cleaning contract came under scrutiny as the man accused of killing community activist Loyiso Nkohla-Mabandla was denied bail yesterday.
Mzubanzi Chulayo, along with Zukile Tshabile and Mziyanda Mdlungu, faces murder and attempted murder charges.
Chulayo’s lawyer, Monde Maguga, handed in an affidavit to the Athlone Magistrate’s Court yesterday, stating that his client was a 42-year-old unmarried man with two dependants, aged 19 and 14, and had a fixed address in Philippi. He has previous convictions for robbery, possession of a firearm, ammunition and drugs.
Chulayo also has a pending case of the possession of a firearm in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape.
During Sergeant Zaliseka Hlatshaneni’s testimony, he said the deceased was a community representative who was in talks with the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to broker an agreement over community members who were illegally occupying land belonging to Prasa.
“He and his wife co-signed a cleaning operation… They agreed to partner with businessman Thobani Maxengana, who had a security services business, and they agreed to go in a 50/50 partnership,” said Hlatshaneni.
Magistrate Keith le Keur read the affidavit, which said that Maxengana was paid, but failed to pay the staff members and Nkohla-Mabandla and his wife sought another businessperson to co-sign.
“The deceased and wife paid from their own money and arranged for another company to work with them,” Le Keur read.
“On 17 April 2023, during the day between 10 and 11am, community leaders and security personnel held a meeting at Philippi railway station. The meeting was opened with a prayer.
Shortly thereafter the deceased and three others were shot. The deceased was killed and others wounded.
“Chulayo was identified as one of the suspects by three witnesses.
“Evidence is that he got money from Ziyanda Mdlungu, who has the same name as Accused 2 in this matter.
“The address was visited on 2 May 2023. A message (was) left with his girlfriend, who stayed with him at the time, and the officer left his contact details. However, he didn’t respond and couldn’t be found by the officer who then received information that the applicant was in the Eastern Cape, (at) Cofimvaba.
“Police traced the address of his mom … The police left messages and tracing operations were held without success.”
Chulayo was arrested after appearing in court on the gun possession charge in Cofimvaba on November 27 last year. He remains in custody and will appear on August 23 with his co-accused.