Durban — The pre-trial conference of two Durban alleged hitmen facing 15 murder charges will be heard in April.
On Wednesday, the matter was called up in the Durban High Court in the absence of the two accused, Sbonelo “Madanon” Wiseman Shangase, 32, and Thalente Mkhize, 36.
The building’s lifts for prisoners were not working, so the accused could not be brought to the courtrooms.
Altogether they face 28 counts, 15 of which are murders, which include a mass shooting where six people were killed in Inanda in January 2022.
They previously had separate charge sheets in relation to the crimes they are accused of and the National Prosecuting Authority has consolidated these into one so that the two appear alongside each other.
The murders they face relate to the June 2021 murder of Brendan Thandroyen; his daughter, Bianca Afrika; and his brother, Craig Thandroyen, who were shot and killed on Mazeppa Road in Durban’s Point area.
The brothers died instantly while Afrika, a matric pupil at Northlands Girls’ High School died in hospital.
In January 2022, the two accused are alleged to have shot and killed six people in Amaoti, Inanda.
The duo are also accused of killing Overport businessman Zeyn Moideen who was shot in Brickfield Road in 2022, they are also charged with the killing of Moideen’s neighbour Shaheed Moodel, just weeks before Moideen’s murder in what is thought to be a case of mistaken identity with the intended target being Moideen.
They are alleged to have attempted to kill Sibusiso Sibisi in Ntuzuma on the same day that Moideen died.
In September 2021 the accused were alleged to have kidnapped Phakamani Cwele from Inanda and killed him on Lwandle Drive in KwaDabeka.
They are alleged to have killed Patrick Nhlanhla Goge in Inanda on August 7, 2021.
They are accused of killing Njabulo Bongani Shongwe and Zolani Goodman Mbuthuma in Inanda on September 2, 2021.
Shangase and Mkhize are also charged with three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances where another two counts of attempted murder arise.
Shangase is charged in the September 2021 robbery where it'’s alleged that R140 000 was taken using force and violence.
Also this month, Shangase and Mkhize will appear along with Mcabangeleni Mkhize, 22, and Lunga Floyd Ngcobo, 31, in the Durban Magistrate’s Court charged with the attempted murders of three Cato Manor police sergeants.
Two of the officers escaped with no injuries in the shoot-out, but one was critically wounded after sustaining a gunshot wound on his chest.
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Daily News