The first day of the trial of a Grahamstown funeral parlour owner who is accused of forcing two employees to cut off the legs of a dead man three years ago got off to a dramatic start as one of the two men took the stand today, 30 September.
The first day of the trial of a Grahamstown funeral parlour owner who is accused of forcing two employees to cut off the legs of a dead man three years ago got off to a dramatic start as one of the two men took the stand today, 30 September.
Mziwanele Klaas took the stand in an empty Grahamstown Magistrate's Court while the man who allegedly helped him cut-off Thamsanqa Tshali's legs sat outside.
Klaas admitted under cross examination that when he cut Tshali's legs off the day before his funeral in January 2011 he knew that what he was doing was wrong.
He told the court that he prayed before he did what he was ordered to do.
Siyakubonga Funeral Services owner, Ronel Mostert, 49, faces charges of mutilation of a corpse following the shocking incident.
Siphamandla Dyasi and Klaas claim that Mostert allegedly forced them to use an angle grinder to cut a dead man's legs so his tall body could fit into a coffin – or risk losing their jobs if they disobeyed her.
The two men worked at Siyakubonga in 2011, when the incident took place. Mostert's legal representative, advocate Gerald Bloem who is instructed by attorney Gys Niesing, grilled Klaas about the events of 14 January 2011 when Mostert allegedly ordered them to cut off the legs of a corpse.
Bloem kept pleading with Klaas to answer the question put to him.
Klaas got agitated numerous times during cross examination, saying the reason for his long answers was that Bloem was asking him the same questions over and over.
The trial, which was conducted in Afrikaans, was adjourned to tomorrow,1 October, because the interpreter had a personal problem.
Mostert's husband sat in the back throughout the proceedings.
During a brief adjournment Mostert seemed confident, chatting and laughing with her legal team.
