Thulani Holly Shozi, accused in the 2020 murders of two Durban Metro Police officers and an ANC Youth League official, is in custody after an alleged plot to kill State witnesses.
A man accused of murdering two Durban Metro Police officers and an ANC Youth League secretary is facing an inquiry into the possible withdrawal of his bail after the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) arrested him for allegedly conspiring to kill witnesses set to testify for the State.
The witnesses are Section 204 witnesses, meaning they are people implicated in a crime who testify against their co-accused in exchange for the possibility of immunity from prosecution.
Thulani Holly Shozi, who previously clashed with KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Thoba Poyo-Dlwati over delays relating to his legal representation, appeared briefly at the Durban High Court on Thursday alongside his co-accused for a pre-trial conference.
They are accused of the 2020 murders of Thamsanqa Gcabashe, Lindokuhle Madonsela and Ndumiso Thusi in Mpumalanga township, Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal.
Shozi’s co-accused are Fana Shabalala, Zamokuhle Mnyandu, Sandile Msezane, Ntando Blose and Khethukuthula Ncayiyana, a traditional healer from KwaMashu.
Gcabashe and Madonsela were members of the ANC, with Gcabashe having been elected ANC Youth League secretary in February 2020. Madonsela and Thusi were employed as Durban Metro Police officers.
Shozi was previously out on bail when he appeared in the High Court. However, Judge Mfuniselwa Nkosi was told on Thursday that he was now in custody.
“The State has lodged an application for him to be detained hence he is in custody,” Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Lawrence Gcaba told the court.
Sources close to the investigation said the PKTT apprehended Shozi after he appeared in the High Court for a pre-trial conference in October.
“Shozi conspired to kill the Section 204 witnesses. Now there is an inquiry for his bail to be withdrawn,” a source said.
It is understood that the inquiry into the possible withdrawal of his bail will be heard later this month at the Hammarsdale Magistrate’s Court.
In the past pre-trial conferences Shozi had repeatedly had issues of legal representation which is what got him into trouble with Judge president Poyo-Dlwati who warned him to not delay the families of the victims justice.
Thursday’s pre-trial conference before Judge Nkosi was postponed to January. Gcaba told the court that the matter could then be certified trial-ready, with the trial scheduled to begin on February 22.
Meanwhile, the supporters of the popular traditional healer Ncayiyana, came out in numbers to support him on Thursday.
Ncayiyana who is identified as the alleged mastermind by the State was arrested in July and denied bail. Shabalala, Mnyandu and Msezane are out on bail, while the remaining co-accused are in custody.