- A State witness in the Glebelands Eight trial denies taking part in the murders of two men in 2015.
- He claimed he only travelled with the accused to the hostel after the killings and accused a former Durban Central detective of showing him photos of murdered men.
- Lawyers for the accused dispute the man's testimony.
A State witness testifying against the "Glebelands Eight" has denied any involvement in the murders of two men who were known as the "big fishes" at the Glebelands hostel in Umlazi, north of Durban.
"I was not part of the killings in Montclair … except to go with the accused and see what they were doing," said the State witness, who testified in camera (behind closed doors) in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg this week, GroundUp reported.
William Mthembu and Thokozani Machi were gunned down and killed in Montclair on 12 September 2015. It was believed that Mthembu controlled the committee chairs of different blocks in Glebelands and that Machi was his hitman.
Their murders were part of a string of killings at the hostel between 2014 and 2016.
The accused – Bhekukwazi Mdweshu (a former detective of the Durban Central police station), Khayelihle Mbuthuma, Vukani Mcobothi, Eugene Hlophe, Mbuyiselwa Mkhize, Ncomekile Ntshangase, Mondli Mthethwa and Bongani Mbhele – face 22 charges, including nine of murder and attempted murder.
During cross-examination this week, the witness, who may not be identified, said: "On the day Mthembu and Machi were killed, we were traveling in a double cab car that belonged to Badelisi. We entered Glebelands using that car after the killings. Others went to the hostel on foot. Those were Mcobothi, Mbhele, Mbuthuma and Zikhu Mtolo."
He said after Mthembu and Machi's death, Mdweshu showed him pictures of bodies believed to be the deceased.
"I saw pictures of dead people with blood. One of those people I was able to identify in the picture was Mthembu through the clothes he was wearing. Some of the pictures were on the cellphone and others were actual pictures," said the witness.
Advocate Martin Krog, who represented Mdweshu, said his client denied showing the witness photographs or meeting the witness to discuss Mthembu and Machi's murder.
He also denied any involvement in orchestrating the murder of another man at Umlazi GG police station, nor an attack at Block R, as the State witness alleged.
On Thursday, Legal Aid attorney Xolani Sindane who represented Mbuthuma, Ntshangase, Mbuthuma, Mbhele and Mcobothi, also denied that his clients were involved in the murders as alleged by the State witness. Instead, Sindane accused the witness of implicating his clients in an bid to escape his own prosecution.
Judge Nkosinathi Chili temporarily excused the witness "until or when the court decides that he is required" again.
The trial continues on Monday when another key State witness is expected to testify in camera.