Case against men accused of killing Rand Water executive, his bodyguard postponed

JOHANNESBURG - The case against three men accused of the murder of Rand Water executive Tebogo Joala and his bodyguard Sifiso Shange has been postponed to June.

Joala and Shange were killed in January, in front of hundreds of school learners in Zakariyya Park, south of Johannesburg, during a back-to-school campaign.

Khulekani Mdluli, Zamokuhle Ntombela and Lindani Mtshali appeared in the Lenesia Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon.

The trio are accused of pre-meditated murder, murder and attempted murder.

Among the attempted murder charges is that of City of Joburg chief whip Sithembiso Zungu - who was shot and injured during the shooting.

READ: Mchunu: Police Minister Cele has been asked to prioritise probe into Joala murder

Mdluli, Ntombela and Mtshali were arrested in northern KwaZulu-Natal in January by members of the Gauteng South African Police Service.

The family of the slain Rand Water executive say they are not sure who masterminded the hit, but they trust the detectives are doing their due diligence.

“We as a family we want to see justice. We are really not involved in what they are doing- we are not sure how far they are in getting whoever is responsible or who has ordered this thing” said family spokesperson Ntsane Joala.

Authorities say they are not ruling out more arrests in the murder.