A Christian Dior leather bag was among the things that were taken from a victim who was assaulted and nearly burnt to death in Phoenix during the July 2021 unrest.

The Durban High Court learnt this on Thursday in a trial that involves four males accused of murder, public violence, and inciting violence against Africans during the unrest.

The men charged are Ravine Naidoo, Trevor Gopal, Tyreece Govender, and Timothy Govender.

The victim, Nkosikhona Madlala, 27, from Nanda, told the court that when he was assaulted on July 12, 2021, his things were taken from him. 

“I wish to clearly state that they took a Christian Dior leather bag, a 201 Nokia, a 2019 Y5 Huawei, two necklaces, an orange wool hat, size 8 boots from Zara, and a watch from Fossil,” Madlala told the court. 

Madlala is a State witness and is currently on the stand. So far, he has told the court that on the fateful day, he and his friends Linda Khuzwayo, Sandile Sambo, Njabulo Dlamini, and Sanele Merase, travelled in a Toyota Quantum to Tees Tavern in Phoenix to purchase cocaine. 

He said they passed through a number of roadblocks to get to Tees. According to him, they used cocaine with his friends when they were drinking alcohol so that they would not fall asleep. 

After purchasing the cocaine and getting ready to leave, he said they were blocked by a white Ranger bakkie and a crowd, which also came in cars and on foot.

The crowd told them to get out of the taxi. He said that after they refused to sit on the ground after getting off the taxi, the driver of the bakkie fired a firearm, and they all ran away in different directions. However, Dlamini remained in the car as he was sleeping. 

After running away and finding himself back to where the Quantum was parked, Madlala told the court that he was forced to get inside the taxi, which was burning.

He said that upon refusal, he was assaulted, adding that Sambo was also assaulted with golf clubs, baseball bats, sticks, and sjamboks. 

He said that at that moment, he also saw about three males dragging Dlamini, who was not moving. “They placed him near the taxi at the rear wheel,” he said.

Madlala said the assault was intense at this stage despite his cries asking for an apology. He said both Dlamini and Sambo were not moving during this time. He stated that this assault lasted for approximately 45 minutes. Afterwards, each one of them was placed with three pallets, and a liquid believed to be diesel or petrol was poured over them. 

The calm Madlala said that because he had open wounds, the liquid got in, and as a result, he was left with dark marks on his body, forehead, feet, and hands.

He said they were saved by a police van that was approaching. He said a female police officer called an ambulance, and they were taken to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where Dlamini died. He said that after two days, he was also discharged from the hospital. 

The trial continues.

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za

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