|
Soldier was called the k-word
15/11/2007 21:21 - (SA)
Pretoria - The air force candidate officer who allegedly shot and killed one of his examiners and wounded another was told he was a "redundant kaffir" who would never serve in the force and who would die poor, the Pretoria Magistrate's Court heard on Thursday.
Samuel Mandla Madonsela, 37, allegedly killed Lieutenant Colonel Autham Stevens and critically injured Lieutenant Colonel Isak Karan when he went on a shooting spree at the Thaba Tshwane Air Force College on Thursday last week.
This allegedly took place after he was told to vacate the premises after he failed his exams.
Madonsela, who is employed in the Human Resource department at the Hoedspruit Air Force Base, was granted R5 000 bail.
He is facing charges of murder and attempted murder.
In his affidavit, Madonsela said he registered for the Officer Formative Course in February to April this year to improve his family's income but was "chased" from the college "as I was made to believe I was redundant".
He said he reregistered for the second time and when he was left with seven days to complete his course and graduate, he was told that he was a "redundant kaffir" who would never serve in any office of the defence force and who would die poor.
'No intention of killing'
Madonsela was called to the office of the major and separated from other trainees and told he had a few minutes to vacate the college.
As he was trying to obtain clarity on why he had to leave, he said he was told that he joined the South African Air Force due to the "mercy of politics" and that the force was not there to train politicians but soldiers.
"They told me that the defence minister is still asleep and will never do anything about the situation in the military that they control," Madonsela's affidavit read.
After this, he said there was a fierce challenge of words which later became a physical fight.
"I swear I had no intention of killing anyone but the situation lead me to report to the Wierdaburg police station," Madonsela said.
The state opposed bail and said Madonsela was a threat to society and that if released, he might try to finish what he had started.
Investigating officer, Inspector Johannes Kekana said although no eye witnesses saw Madonsela shoot anyone, he was seen going into Karan's office and later emerging holding a gun - and then running through the passage into Stevens' office.
"After a few moments, he fled again from Stevens' office and got into his car and drove through the gate," Kekana said.
He said Madonsela was determined as he had gone to the college to ask for a Major Nel but did not find him.
Madonsela then came back two days later and that was when the incident occurred.
'Not the first time'
The court heard that Madonsela was a former member of UmKhonto We Sizwe.
In giving judgement, magistrate CC Khoza said the case was a common one of wounds that were not healed by the two opposing factions that were married together.
"It's not the first time the court comes across a matter like this," Khoza said.
"The court must normalise these issues; however, the court also upholds the spirit of the constitution that every man is innocent until proven guilty and that every man has a right for bail to be granted."
He said that it would not be in the interest of justice to keep Madonsela in custody for a matter that might take a year to be finalised.
The case was postponed to November 30.
|
News
