THE trial of 14 people charged with killing eight young men in a vigilante attack in Zandspruit in 2021 could not yet get underway because the presiding judge is sick.
Tebogo Mabula, Mziwamangwane Witbooi, Njabulo Zwane, Phakiswa Tsengiswa, Maxwell Mpofu, Klaas Masemola, Joshua Mabodze, Alfred Mollo, Everyone Moyo, Phillimon Seemela, Douglas Tshuma, Charles Ramashia, Phiwe Khubeka and Peter Mufamadi are facing eight counts of murder, two of attempted murder, 10 of kidnapping and three of housebreaking.
On Wednesday, 3 August, stand-in acting Judge Mudunwazi Makamu told the accused their matter was postponed because Judge Cassim Moosa was not well.
The 14 are alleged to be part of a vigilante group formed to root out crime in Zandspruit squatter camp.
They were operating parallel with the local Community Policing Forum.
It is alleged that they were part of a group of over 200 people who kidnapped nine young men accused of terrorising the community from their homes between 18 and 19 May.
They were taken to a local sport ground and beaten up.
Tyres were put around their necks, doused with petrol and set alight.
Four died on the scene and four others later died in hospital.
One young man survived the ordeal and is in hiding.
Khubeka, Tsengiswa and Seemela are out on R3 000 bail each, while the rest are in custody.
Tsengiswa is the only woman among the accused.
The matter will resume on 10 August for further evidence.
