NFP councillor claims self defence
2012-12-19 14:41
Durban - National Freedom Party councillor Mzonjani Zulu was
defending himself when he shot dead an IFP supporter outside a court, the
Durban Regional Court heard on Wednesday.
Zulu said a man was carrying an assegai (spear), and holding
it the way people in faction fights do. He was speaking during his bail
application, and responding to questions from his lawyer.
Zulu is accused of killing Siya Dlamini in October outside
the Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court. Two shots were fired at him, in full view of
police and bystanders. This took place after the appearance of four men in
connection with the shooting of an Inkatha Freedom Party supporter.
Continued advancing
Zulu said after the court proceedings he was talking to a
police officer when he saw three people approaching him. He said one of the men
pulled him by the jacket, after asking him what he was saying to the police
officer about the assegai.
"I tried to pull myself out of his grip by moving
backwards," Zulu said.
The officer tried to stop the man, but he avoided him and
moved towards Zulu. Zulu said he tried to move back and run away, but the man
continued advancing.
"It was then when I took my firearm out of the holster,
but at first it got stuck. I eventually managed to pull out the firearm and
pointed it at him.
"I ordered him not to come close. I told him if he does
I'll shoot him, but he continued advancing towards me."
Zulu continued to retreat until he ran out of space as there
was a car.
Warning shot
"After he noticed I could no longer move backwards, he
advanced towards me. Then I fired a warning shot directed at his lower part of
his body.
"He continued to come at me in a forceful manner,
wanting to strike me. Then I shot him in the head."
Zulu said as he was being put into a police van he heard
someone warning him, and jumped to avoid being stabbed with an assegai.
Zulu asked the court to grant him bail as he was taking care
of his unemployed wife, paying off a bond and running a taxi business.
He told the court he intended to plead not guilty.
The bail application continues.
- SAPA
