Durban — Family and friends of a KwaSanti man, alleged to have been taken in for questioning and killed by a Mariannhill police sergeant, sang Struggle songs outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court carrying placards in the rain.
In the songs, they named the officer charged with the murder of 27-year-old Sihle Mtshare calling him corrupt and greedy.
Sergeant Ayanda Doctor Ntombela allegedly took Mtshare in for questioning on August 21, 2022, but he disappeared thereafter. His body was later found in Camperdown.
When Ntombela made his first appearance last week in court his matter was adjourned to Monday for a formal bail application. At the time the State had indicated it would be opposing bail.
According to the family, the officer could not specify why he was arresting Mtshare. When they went to look for their relative the following day at the Mariannhill police station nobody knew about his case.
After having searched multiple police stations and hospitals, the family took to social media, posting Mtshare as missing. It was this act that saw the family contacted by someone who said he had been arrested the same night as Mtshare and he helped the family by identifying the officer who had arrested him.
It is alleged that the identified officer denied arresting Mtshare or even knowing him, however following an investigation he was arrested.
After two weeks, the family said, they received a call from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) to come and identify a body at Camperdown.
On Monday in court the State indicated that it was ready to proceed with Ntombela’s bail application, however, the defence was not.
This was because Ntombela had changed legal representatives. The reason for this was not stated in court.
“My instructions are to proceed with bail but I am not ready to do so,” said Ntombela’s defence attorney, advocate M Mkhize.
He told the court that on arrangement with the State a date had been agreed on where the defence would be ready to proceed with bail this week. Outside court, the picket carried on for the better half of the day as Ntombela only appeared after midday.
“At the gate of the court we sit and cry,” sang family and friends outside the court gate under the protection of umbrellas.
Speaking to the Daily News after court proceedings, a close relative, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said she was dismayed at the adjournment, adding that it was another delay.
“We are dismayed and concerned, we are now in week five. Sihle was missing for two weeks and in the third week his body was found last week Monday.
“He (Ntombela) appeared in court and today we are here again and there are more delays. We must come back here again and not go to work.
“When Sihle was missing we were up and down looking for him and we found him. Then we were up and down with funeral arrangements and now we must go back and forth to court.”
She said the family laid Mtshare to rest on Saturday and went on to describe that they did so with heavy and torn hearts.
“We have accepted in our hearts what has happened so that we may start to heal.”
The relative said the family had also weighed the fact that Ntombela as a Sergeant in Mariannhill was applying for bail in the district he worked in and in a court where he was familiar with some employees.
“We have faith in Ipid handling this investigation, but we will also consult with our lawyer.”
Daily News