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Babita Deokaran murder: Bail hearing postponed after water cuts affect court precinct

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The men accused of the murder of Gauteng Department of Health official Babita Deokaran appear in court.
The men accused of the murder of Gauteng Department of Health official Babita Deokaran appear in court.
Isabel Venter

The case of six men accused of the murder of Gauteng Department of Health official Babita Deokaran has been postponed because maintenance operations have affected water supply to the court precinct.

Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Hlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Siphakanyiswa Dladla have been charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Their bail application was supposed to continue in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Friday. The State and defence were expected to present their closing arguments.

However, the court precinct was affected by water cuts in the city due to extensive maintenance operations which water utility Rand Water carried out on its infrastructure this week.

As a result, the case was postponed to 30 November.

The bail application kicked off earlier this month, when it was revealed that Hadebe fingered former health minister Zweli Mkhize as their paymaster in a now disputed confession he initially allegedly made to the police.

Mkhize has denied any involvement.


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