By Bahle Gama
One of the suspects arrested for allegedly torching down Ngudzeni Inkhundla Sibongiseni Hoshoba Shongwe is expected to move his bail application at the High Court on Friday.
Shongwe and his co-accused, Bongumusa Kenneth Mthembu and Goodman Musa Mamba have been charged with contravening Section 5 (1) of the Suppression of Terrorism Act No.5 of 2008 as read with Section 2 (a) as amended for allegedly burning Ngudzeni Inkhundla, vandalising water valves and breaking a gate.
Two others are considered fugitives of justice, Beketele Shabangu and Phatho Vilakati. According to the indictment, the arson attack had the intention to cause death or bodily injury, a serious risk to the health of the public and was intended to disrupt the provision of essential and emergency service such as police and civil defence services.
On June 30, 2021, the trio allegedly burnt the Inkhundla with all the property inside as the evidence shows that on the day in question, people of Ngudzeni had gathered at KaMavimbela bus station to see Mampondo Msibi and raise their grievances over a water project which was not benefiting some of the homesteads in the area.
Msibi reportedly addressed the crowd and informed them that it was not him who had stopped the water from reaching all the homesteads. One of the suspects, Mthembu, allegedly manhandled Msibi but the police were able to intervene as they were present.
The crowd reportedly demanded that Msibi lead them to whoever was controlling the water to which he took them to the valves which are said to have been found tampered with to stop the flow of water.
Mthembu reportedly proceeded to damage the valves further using an axe, whilst Shongwe was addressing the crowd stating that since they were done with the water issue, they were to proceed to Maloma to present their grievances as the leaders had promised to arrange for transport which the group is said to have waited for at bus station.
While waiting, a black VW Polo approached and on board was one of the fugitives Phatho Vilakati and two men from the Methula area. A short meeting was held where the group agreed that Maloma was very far, and the people were hungry.
Shongwe reportedly suggested that they burn the Ngudzeni Inkhundla since the Methula Inkhundla had already been burnt and that is how the crowd abandoned the trip to Maloma. On their way, Mthembu who was carrying an axe reportedly hacked a billboard at Siphambanweni but was warned by some of the people against this action.
Upon arrival at the Inkhundla, Mthembu reportedly hacked the padlock at the gate and forced entry with the crowd. Mthembu reportedly opened a tool room where he took a brush cutter which was full of petrol and doused the flammable liquid inside the Inkhundla and the building alongside all property in the vicinity was burnt down.
Shongwe allegedly sprinkled a 5 litre of petrol and destroyed a Wi-Fi router and further instructed all the people to exit the Inkhundla as it continued to burn.
