N3 guards won't be punished - victim

Durban - A senior Pinetown prosecutor is to decide whether to prosecute two VIP mayoral bodyguards, who shot at a motorist on the N3 highway, for attempted murder.

But the motorist, who would only allow his first name, Wynand, to be published, was convinced the men would be let off the hook.

On Monday Sithembiso Mokoena, 39, and his co-accused, Thulasizwe Dennis Mbanjwa, 40, appeared briefly in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court.

The matter was adjourned to December for the National Prosecuting Authority to decide whether the case should be prosecuted.

Both men were charged with attempted murder after they handed themselves over to police a week after the shooting.

Wynand said he had been told by the investigating officer yesterday the case against the men was not strong enough.

“I cannot believe it - they shot at me, but there is not enough evidence against them.

“I am not counting on the case going to trial… They won’t even get a slap on the wrist.”

The men are employed as VIP bodyguards for uMgungundlovu mayor Yusuf Bhamjee, but have been suspended pending the outcome of the court case. They are not attached to the police’s VIP unit and are employed directly by the municipality.

The men were escorting Bhamjee to Durban when they allegedly opened fire after Wynand failed to move out of the way of their Toyota Corolla. The State alleges the men were travelling in a vehicle with flashing blue lights when the passenger in the Corolla fired two shots at Wynand’s vehicle.

Wynand stopped his car and the driver of the VIP car fired two more shots . He escaped unscathed while the Corolla sped off to rejoin the convoy.

There was no mention in court yesterday of perjury charges being brought against Mbanjwa who failed to disclose a previous conviction during his bail application. Mbanjwa was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for his role in the killing of politician Sifiso Nkabinde in January 1999.

Wynand said his life had been turned upside down by the incident. “This has stuffed up my whole life. My fiancée, who lives in Newcastle, refused to move to Durban because of what happened to me. She is too scared; she even got a job here, but turned it down.”

During their first court appearance, the men’s lawyer, Siphiwe Mncwango, told journalists his clients had “the right to fire” at Wynand as they had believed Bhamjee was in danger and they had also fired warning shots.

The Mercury