The trial of the three Radzuma brothers accused of the murder of two slain South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) officials, Timpson Musetsho and Ronald Mani, in 2019 is to start on 9 October and proceed until 27 October. This was ordered by the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou on Thursday, 22 June. The accused, Simon, Percy and Ndivhuwo Radzuma, each now have their own legal representatives, who all said that they were ready for the trial to begin.
Judge AML Phatudi of the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou ordered media representatives who want to take photographs in the court during the trial to apply well in advance, before the trial starts.
The two SAMWU officials from the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) were gunned down in 2019 in separate incidents, after they had publicly criticised the VDM's unlawful investment of R300 million into the now-defunct VBS Bank.
Mr Lucky Mani, who represents the families of both victims, said they were relieved that the trial would be starting soon. "We have had sleepless nights about the delay tactics that have been used in our courts since the accused were arrested. But a date for the trial to begin has been set, and we will be eagerly waiting until then," he said.
Mani, who spoke just outside the courthouse on Thursday, was joined by some family members, as well as SAMWU and COSATU members, who all braved the chilly weather.
Dean Tshenuwani Farisani of the Vhembe Mass Democratic Movement said that they would not surrender until they had achieved victory. He said they wanted to see the kingpins involved in these murders convicted.
Meanwhile, Limpopo's provincial secretary of COSATU, Mr Hangwani Mashau, who also attended the court appearances, said they stood behind the families of the victims and wanted the guilty parties to face the might of the law.