Two men suspected of being part of the gang involved in the September 28 Lusikisiki mass shooting where 18 people were killed, have abandoned bail bids.
They made a brief appearance in the Lusikisiki magistrate’s court on Tuesday, facing 18 counts of murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, among other charges.
Zenande Paya, 38, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36, were initially charged with four counts of unlawful possession of three AK47 assault rifles and a 243 Steyr Mannlicher rifle as well as possession of 82 live rounds of ammunition.
The matter was postponed to November 26 when they will join four others already charged for the Lusikisiki massacre.
The state and police strongly believe that the firearms were some of those used in the Lusikisiki mass shooting.
State prosecutor Nkululeko Mathenjwa told the court that an additional suspect would appear in court on Thursday.
This will make seven the number of people arrested in connection with the September 28 massacre.
Other suspects include Siphosoxolo Myekethe, Aphiwe “AP” Ndende, Lwando Antony Abi and Bonga Hintsa.
Paya and Nomdlembu were arrested in Flagstaff on October 17, in possession of the four rifles and ammunition that were allegedly moved to other locations after the September 28 shooting in Ngobozana village.
Ndende and Hintsa were arrested in Port Shepstone while Abi was apprehended in East London on October 16.
Myekethe was arrested on October 7 at his home in Mthimde village in the Mamfengwini administrative area in Lusikisiki.
After the Lusikisiki massacre, there was another mass shooting in Godini village in Qumbu where six community patrollers, including a sub headman and his father from the Sotshangaye family were killed.
The six victims, who were safeguarding community livestock against thieves, were buried at the weekend.
On Wednesday, two men accused of the Bhityi mass shooting where five Seti family members were killed, will also appear in court for five counts of murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Four hours before the attack on the Seti family about 150km away, three men were shot dead in the Willowvale CBD and a 32-year-old woman survived the killing.
One man has been arrested for the Qumbu mass shooting but there have been no arrests in the Bhityi and Willowvale killings.
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