Two men accused of shooting dead five members of the Seti family at Ncinjana village in the notorious Bhityi policing area in October have abandoned their bail applications.
Mphumzeni Ncambe-Dodobala, 39, and Lukhanyo Xolisa Gam, 22, appeared in the Bhityi magistrate’s court outside Mthatha on Thursday.
They face 10 charges, including five counts of murder, two of attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition, in connection with the October 18 attack.
They have abandoned their bail applications.
Siphiwo Seti, 70, his wife, Nowinile Sizeka, 64, daughter Alina, 39, granddaughter Azakhe, 17, and grandson Akhanya, 13, were shot dead and two other relatives were seriously wounded.
A 15-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy escaped injury.
Ncambe-Dodobala is a parolee previously sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by the Cape Town regional court in 2016 for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
He was released on parole in 2022 after serving six years.
Gam is related to the victims through a maternal aunt. This was confirmed by his mother.
At the suspects’ previous appearance, Ncambe-Dodobala told the court he wanted the services of a Legal Aid lawyer.
“I am a parolee and have broken some parole conditions,” he said.
His parole has since been revoked, and he was escorted to and from court by heavily armed correctional service officers.
Families of the victims as well as the relatives of the two accused filled the tiny courtroom in Bhityi.
Postponing the case to December 11 for further investigation, magistrate Nomahobe Mbalo said there were still some outstanding issues, including photos as well as the results of DNA tests and the postmortems.
The two accused were arrested at their homes in the nearby village of Msukwini, three days after the mass shooting.
Police seized an unlicensed Norinco pistol and ammunition.
Four youngsters — an 11-year-old boy who still has a bullet lodged in his body, a 19-year-old grade 12 pupil who was badly wounded and the two children who were unharmed but who witnessed the killings — have been taken to a safe place.
Gam’s mother told the Dispatch the allegations that her son was involved in the killing of her sister’s in-laws had created animosity in the family.
“My sister does not even want to take my calls, I think she is angry and grieving.
“But I know nothing about this, and we as her maiden family are as shocked as the Seti family. We are not taking sides.
“This matter has badly affected our elderly father, and his health, which had deteriorated since the shooting, has been made worse by my son’s arrest.
“The Seti family is part of us, and whatever aggrieved them affects us — their loss is our loss.”
Gam’s uncle, Thembela, was adamant the suspects were allegedly hitmen hired by someone who masterminded the killings.
He said he wanted the mastermind to be unmasked and arrested.
“The accused’s job was [allegedly] to kill the identified targets.
“Those who ordered the murders, the mastermind behind these killings, must be arrested before they strike again.”
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