ALLEGED MURDERERS IN APARTHEID-RELATED CASE INDICTED IN COURT
The case against four men: Gerhardus Stephanus Schoon (82), Paul Jacobus van Dyk (76), Frederick Johannes Pienaar (77) and Douw Gerbrandt Willemse (63), was indicted in the Pongola Magistrates’ Court last week. The charges relate to the kidnapping and murder of Jameson Ngoloyi Mngomezulu (71), in June 1985. Mngomezulu, a South African citizen, resided in the Oshabeni area, in Ingwavuma and the Elubulwini area in Swaziland. He was a political activist and a cadre of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Due to his political activism, he was harassed by members of the security forces who would continuously raid his places of residence. Sometime in June 1985, during one of these raids, he was captured from his Swaziland residence, tortured, and forcibly brought back to South Africa.
He was held captive, assaulted, tortured, and eventually killed, and his body was dismembered using explosives at Sodwana Bay. The state is alleging that Schoon and his co assailants together with Askaris and other members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), acted collectively in the commission of these offences. At the time of the commission of these offences, Schoon was the commander of the Jozini Security Branch of the SAPS, Van Dyk and Willemse were members of the Security Branch of the SAPS based in Vlakplaas and Pienaar was a member of the Security Branch based in Piet Retief.
In court last week, the indictment was served on the legal representatives for Schoon and Van Dyk, as Pienaar and Willemse were not in court. While the legal representative for Pienaar handed in a medical certificate, to the court, explaining Pienaar’s absence, no reason was given for Willemse’s absence. Warrants of arrests were thus authorised. The warrant of arrest for Pienaar was stayed but the warrant of arrest for Willemse was issued forthwith.
The matter was postponed to 18 April 2024, to finalise issues of legal representation.
