Two in court for NUM official's murder
2012-10-24 14:24
Rustenburg - Mine union members protested on Wednesday outside the Rustenburg Magistrate's Court where two men accused of murdering a union official were appearing.
Zenzile Nxenye, 37, and Siyakhale Kwazile, 35, are accused of murdering National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) branch secretary Daluvuyo Bongo.
They were arrested on October 12 while at work at Lonmin's platinum mine in Marikana. Bongo, 41, was shot six times at his home at the Wonderkop hostel complex in Marikana on October 5.
He had been expected to testify at the Farlam Commission into the shooting of 34 Lonmin mineworkers on August 16 in Nkaneng.
Members of the NUM and rival union, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) sang opposite each other near the entrance of the court.
"We do not want NUM, we do not like Zokwana [NUM president Senzeni Zokwana]," sang Amcu members, who were dressed in green T-shirts.
The NUM members, dressed in their traditional red T-shirts, responded by singing the same song, but the Amcu references.
"We do not want Amcu, we do not like Mathunjwa [Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa]".
The NUM T-shirts bore a depiction of Bongo's face on the front, with the words "My blood shall nourish the tree of NUM's survival" on the back.
Other T-shirts read: "Reclaim Lonmin" and "United we bargain divided we beg".
NUM supporters were calling for the two not to be granted bail, while Amcu wanted them released.
"Stop the abuse of state resources, release mineworkers," read an Amcu poster.
Nxenye and Kwazile were expected to hear later on Wednesday whether their application for bail had succeeded.
Access to the courtroom was strictly controlled. The front bench was reserved for NUM officials. No one was allowed to sit on the floor.
- SAPA
