Durban — The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' (Nehawu) union strike led to the postponement of the bail application of an eThekwini Municipality protection officer and two security guards in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The accused, Zamani Dumsani Cele, a protection officer for a councillor who is employed by the eThekwini Municipality (SMU Department), as well as security guards Mnqobi Nxumalo and Stanley Zungu, from Mvula Security, face charges of being found in possession of suspected stolen property.
Magistrate Wendalynn Robinson postponed the application when striking union members stormed the court building.
The bail hearing will be held in two weeks’ time.
The three were apparently found with various items of police gear when they were arrested.
They are to be linked to other cases where police uniforms were used in the commission of crimes.
On the day of their arrest in Dassenhoek, it is alleged that five occupants of a white Hilux Double Cab, with no registration plates, were clad in police jackets and went to a house and fired a single shot.
Community members who had noticed the suspicious car in the area two days before, gave chase as two of the suspects fled on foot while the others made their getaway in the twin-cab.
Police were alerted and managed to intercept the getaway car, believed to be a municipal vehicle.
Cele, who was off-duty at the time, was found with a gun on him and is alleged to have been driving the car.
In it, police recovered three car registration plates, two pairs of handcuffs, three SAPS reflective vests, and a bulletproof vest bag, a SAPS tracksuit jacket with an emblem on it, three SAPS caps, two pistol holsters and a SAPS raincoat with an emblem on it.
State Prosecutor Nomcebo Xulu said the State had intended to call the investigating officer to give evidence. The State also intends opposing bail.
The State alleges that the accused had no reasonable explanation as to why they were in possession of the SAPS items found on them and believed that they all were acting in common purpose. Advocate Sizwe Nkabinde represented the three accused.
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