Simon Radzuma pointed out as the one who killed Ronald Mani

The Radzuma brothers’ murder trial continued in the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou, where they appeared again on Tuesday, 6 February. One of the accused brothers was pointed out as the one who had shot and killed the late SAMWU member Ronald Mani in 2019.

Mani (50) and Timson Musetsho (50), both SAMWU members in the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM), were shot and killed in separate incidents in January 2019 after criticising the VDM’s illegal investment of R300 million into the now-defunct VBS.

Mr Kovhanani Makhada, witness number 22, told the court that he still remembered what had happened on 30 January 2019, the evening when Mani was shot and killed at the Singo tavern in Itsani village. Makhada said he and Mani had been friends for more than 10 years and used to meet at the Singo tavern after work for a few drinks. He said that, at about 19:30 that evening, Mani had sent him to buy two beers, and when he had come back with the drinks, Mani had kept receiving calls on his phone from an unknown person, but when he had tried to answer the calls, no one was speaking at the other end. Not long after that, he said, a gunshot was fired.

“I saw a young man in a black jacket, holding a gun. After he fired the shot, he immediately left the scene, and then I saw Mani fall over. He was certified dead when the EMS personnel arrived at the scene. I saw the person who killed Mani, and I can show the court who he is.”

Makhada then walked straight to where the Radzuma brothers were seated and pointed Simon Radzuma out as the gunman who had shot and killed Mani. During cross-questioning, Simon’s legal representative, Adv Gundo Lidovho, asked Makhada how he was able to identify the gunman when he was still sitting in the car at the time, to which Makhada replied that, as the gunman’s face was not covered, he was positive that Simon was the one.

Judge Thogomelani Tshidada warned the Radzuma brothers’ legal representatives, Adv Ntsako Hlongwane and Adv Lidovho, to avoid causing unnecessary delays by calling unimportant witnesses to testify in court as the trial continues.

Hlongwane told the court that his client, Percy Radzuma, insisted that SABC TV should come and film the proceedings as he had something important to reveal about Mani and Musetsho’s murders, and he wanted the whole nation to watch what he had to say.

The trial will resume from 11 to 15 March.

Date:16 February 2024

By: Silas Nduvheni

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