The man accused of masterminding the Lusikisiki massacre, Mzukisi Ndamase, has admitted introducing most of his co-accused to one another and acting as a middleman connecting drug dealers and buyers, but continued to deny ordering the killings that claimed 19 lives.
Under cross-examination by senior state prosecutor advocate Mfundo Makhubalo in the Mthatha High Court sitting in Lusikisiki on Wednesday, Ndamase agreed that he was the “common denominator” linking the accused and several state witnesses.
He confirmed that he had introduced the co-accused to one another and to Lonwabo Abi, his former associate who has since turned state witness and testified against all the accused.
Ndamase also confirmed that he was related to former accused Zenande Paya, whose charges were withdrawn after he agreed to testify for the state.
“Zenande Paya is my cousin. He is my cousin from my mother’s side, we are related,” Ndamase told the court.
Though he had earlier denied possessing a cellphone while serving a life sentence at Wellington Prison in Mthatha, where the state alleges he orchestrated the murders, Ndamase conceded under cross-examination that he had used a cellphone to communicate with several of the accused and his relatives.
“I had phoned Paya not only in September but also in other months,” he said.
“In fact, I have not only called him alone but I had been in contact with all my other cousins,” he said.
Paya, who was employed as a security officer at the Ingquza Hill municipality at the time of his arrest, allegedly received firearms used in the Lusikisiki massacre after the shootings.
The weapons were later moved to the home of his friend and co-accused, Mawethu Nomdlembu, where police recovered them.
Charges against both Paya and Abi were later withdrawn after they became Section 204 state witnesses.
On September 28 2024, gunmen opened fire at two neighbouring Sinqina family homesteads in Ngobozana village near Lusikisiki, killing 18 people — 15 women, two men and a 13-year-old boy — as relatives gathered to prepare for a ceremony marking the end of a mourning period.
Four people were killed at the home of Nancy Sinqina-Mhatu and 14 at the home of her sister, Mary Sinqina.
Earlier in his testimony, Ndamase told the court that the father of his half-sister was a member of the Mhatu family.
The 19th murder charge relates to the assassination of ANC Alfred Nzo regional leader Mncedisi Gijana, who was gunned down outside his KwaBhaca home on August 19 2024.
The state alleges Ndamase orchestrated both attacks from prison using a smuggled cellphone.
According to the state’s key witness, Abi, and the other accused, Ndamase issued instructions from his prison cell.
Six men — Ndamase, 46, Aphiwe “AP” Ndende, 25, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, Bonga “Rico” Hintsa, 31, Songezo “Mashiya” Vuma, 21, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36 — are on trial facing 29 charges, including 19 counts of murder.
All have pleaded not guilty, though Ndende, Myekethe, Hintsa and Vuma made confessions relating to both the Lusikisiki massacre and Gijana’s murder.
On Wednesday, the accused in the massacre broke their silence, turning on Ndamase and accusing him of orchestrating the killings while ruling through fear, saying nobody dared disobey his orders.
Ndamase is representing himself while his co-accused are represented by separate defence attorneys.
Makhubalo relied on the confessions to challenge Ndamase, putting it to him that cellphone records showed he had contacted all the accused, except Nomdlembu, on the days Gijana was murdered and the Lusikisiki massacre was carried out.
He said the calls were to issue instructions to kill.
Ndamase denied the allegation but admitted to long-standing relationships with several of the accused.
“I have known Myekethe from 1997 to date ... for Abi, he was also my friend and we spent time together in prison,” he said.
He also acknowledged that some of the accused had visited him in prison.
The court heard that Ndamase, who was also known by the names Ntandane, Ankile and Uncle, regularly assisted the accused before their arrests.
The prosecutor argued that the same influence enabled Ndamase to direct the accused to commit the murders.
“Even if they were going to commit a crime you assisted them.
“You even assisted them to kill and they were all afraid of you,” Makhubalo said.
Ndamase denied ever knowing Gijana or ordering any killings.
His cross-examination continues on Thursday.
Daily Dispatch
