Two siblings accused of killing Limpopo Samwu leaders abandon bail bid

Two of the three siblings who allegedly murdered two South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) leaders, who were critical of municipalities investments in the collapsed VBS Bank, have abandoned their bail application in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo.

The Radzuma siblings, Ndivhuwo, Percy and Simon as well as Thabo Sibanze, allegedly shot and killed Timmy Musetsho and Ronald Mani, in two separate incidents in Thohoyandou, two years ago.

Musetsho and Mani were against the Vhembe District Municipality investing more than R300 million in the defunct VBS mutual bank.

Percy Radzuma is the only accused who continued with his bail application on Wednesday, while his siblings Ndivhuwo and Simon abandoned their applications.

The other co-accused, Sibanze abandoned his bail bid in 2019. Sibanze’s lawyer from the Legal Aid made a submission that Sibanze’s postponement must be the final one, because he has been in custody for a long time.

However, prosecutor Mashudu Nekhumbe argued that Sibanze must also apply for bail to avoid staying in custody for a long time.

She said the case is dragging because the two murders were premeditated.

The court then said it is still premature to determine if the postponement will be the last one, because the matter is still in the bail stage.

Police say there is evidence linking all the accused to the killings.

Sibanze faces two counts of murder and possession of an unlicensed fire-arm and ammunition.

The Radzuma brothers are facing six counts of murder, 10 of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. They are alleged to have killed their co-accused in the murder case of Musetsho and Mani.

Zwothe Nemulodi was killed before the suspects were arrested. They also allegedly killed two people in Nzhelele, while the fourth person was killed during a business robbery in Thohoyandou. The case against Sibanze and the Radzuma siblings has been postponed to November 29 for further investigations.