DURBAN - The five men accused of forcibly trying to take over the Durban High Court construction site made their second appearance at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The accused, Phelelani Mhlongo, 22, Sandile Dludla, 28, Khayelihle Nzuza, 29, Khayelihle Gcaba, 34, and Nduduzo Msezane, 36, were charged with intimidation, public violence, violating the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority Act, and tampering with or damaging the main gate of the high court. They are also charged with contravening section 1(1) for threatening to kill construction workers at the site.
On February 1, the men, said to be linked to a construction mafia, were apprehended at the construction site on Margaret Mncadi Avenue (previously Victoria Embankment).
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) spokesperson Thami Mchunu alleged that armed men attempted to forcefully seize control of the site.
“At 8am on Tuesday a heavily armed group of men, allegedly from a local development forum, forced access onto the site, stopped workers, and chased away contractors appointed by the DPWI, in an alleged attempt to gain control of the site,” Mchunu said.
KZN police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said security guards and construction workers were executing their responsibilities when they were attacked by a group of men.
“The suspects chased, threatened, and instructed the employees to leave the site,” Gwala said.
The court heard that Gcaba has a pending case of being in possession of an illegal firearm, while Msezane has a previous conviction of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Prosecutor Quintelle Adams applied for the case to be postponed for formal bail application.
Magistrate Vanitha Armu granted the postponement for February 17 and remanded the accused back to the Department of Correctional Services Westville.
The DPWI said the redevelopment and renovation of the Durban High Court would take up to four years to complete and cost close to R850 million. The project is expected to be completed in September 2025.
The MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Ravi Pillay, applauded the arrests and said they were crucial to eliminating criminal conduct that was undermining the KZN government’s efforts to rebuild after the July unrest.
“We are working very hard to rebuild our economy. We are quite advanced in cementing a social compact between government, business, labour and civil society. In this effort, we require everyone’s patriotic contribution. Criminal conduct has no space in this effort. In fact, it is a key issue undermining our collective effort. We will stand firm on this basic principle,” Pillay said.
He said that while the government was open to negotiate access to opportunities fairly, if any individuals wanted to act like a mafia-style protection racket, the law would act immediately and uncompromisingly.
Daily News