FOUR Transit Camp residents charged with leading a vigilante style attack which landed Sabelo Mancam in hospital three weeks ago, appeared in court on Friday on charges of attempted murder.
FOUR Transit Camp residents charged with leading a vigilante style attack which landed Sabelo Mancam in hospital three weeks ago, appeared in court on Friday on charges of attempted murder.
Vuyani Tsalo, Abongile Budaza, Matthews Gazaga and Xolisani Gula were accused of beating Mancam and pelting him with stones shortly after he was cleared of kidnapping charges.
Mancam (29) and two other men Phikisile Demele and Siyazi Ngojo, had been charged with kidnapping 23-year-old Ntomboxolo “Lele” Bashe of Extension 7.
However, the charges against them were withdrawn and they were released after the Director of Public Prosecutions found that there was insufficient evidence to detain them. Demele’s shack in Extension 7 was burnt to the ground by angry residents who were baying for his blood.
Two days after he was released from jail, Mancam was attacked by a mob of Transit Camp residents and his house was also burned down.
Police confirmed that “one of the alleged suspects in the Bashe kidnapping case was seriously assaulted by members of the community in Extension 8, Joza, Grahamstown”.
Police spokesperson, Inspector Milanda Coetzer, said that the police arrived and rushed Mancam to hospital. Coetzer said Mancam suffered severe injuries.
She said: “It is alleged that the community was mobilized and acted in this manner since the case docket of the kidnapping of Ms Bashe had been closed off by the Justice Department due to insufficient evidence.”
Mancam was treated at Settlers as well as Livingstone Hospital. According to a resident who asked not to be named, Mancam was attacked with broomsticks and stones.
He said the residents had accused Mancam of trying to rape a woman from the informal settlement when they attacked him.
The four men who appeared to have led the attack on Mancam were arrested and charged with attempted murder.
They appeared in the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court on Friday. The state didn’t oppose bail and magistrate Sarel Strauss granted each of them R500 bail.
The magistrate said the accused had no previous convictions or pending cases against them, so the case was postponed until 7 April for further investigation.
