Where is Nkanyiso Hlengwa?
As the police task team probing political killings in KZN rounds up suspects in pre-dawn raids, a Pietermaritzburg pensioner wants investigators to tell him where his grandson is, who has not be seen since his arrest two weeks ago.
“I have been to police stations and even referred the matter to lawyers but no one is telling me where he is,” said Mzungelwa Hlengwa, an 83-year-old pensioner from KwaPata.
Hlengwa’s grandson, Nkanyiso Hlengwa, is believed to be one of the eight people arrested around Pietermaritzburg last week in connection with the murder of local ANC activist Musawenkosi “Maqatha” Mchunu in KwaPata in May.
While the other accused have since made court appearances, Nkanyiso has yet to be brought to court.
This is despite the fact that the law stipulates that a suspect should appear in court within 48 hours of being arrested.
Nkanyiso, who lives with his grandfather, was arrested on September 8.
“I was sleeping when I heard a commotion and when I woke up there were several men in the house, some of them busy pinning Nkanyiso down,’’ said Mzungelwa Hlengwa, who is partially blind.
“They took him away and since that day no one has told me where he is. I don’t know whether he is dead or alive.”
After being sent from pillar to post, Hlengwa finally engaged the services of Pietermaritzburg lawyer Renen Padayachee, who has written to acting provincial police commissioner Lieutenant- General Nhlanhla Mkhwananzi.
Padayachee, who in his letter gave Mkhwanazi 48 hours to inform the Hlengwa family of Nkanyiso’s whereabouts, raised concerns about the methods being used by the police task team when apprehending people suspected of involvement in political killings in the province.
“Whilst we are sensitive to the need for police to investigate, arrest, detain and prosecute all suspects of such serious offences, this does not give the task team or the SAPS the right to act outside of the prescript if the law and in contravention of the Constitution,” he said in the letter, seen by The Witness.
Six suspects in the Mchunu murder case on Thursday appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court.
There are rumours that an eighth suspect in the case is recuperating in hospital after being injured while being arrested on September 8.
Police Minister Bheki Cele has made it clear that police would not be fielding media queries on the work of the task team comprising members drawn from the State Security Agency (SSA) police intelligence, the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).