A victim of the violence that took place in Phoenix during the July 2021 unrest has told the Durban High Court on Tuesday morning that he used to buy cocaine from Tees Tavern.

However, he told the court that he does not know Trevor Gopal, who allegedly incited violence against black Africans. 

Gopal is on trial with Ravine Naidoo, Tyreece Govender, and Timothy Govender for the murder of Njabulo Allen Dlamini, two counts of attempted murder, public violence, and malicious property damage.

Gopal, the owner of Tees Tavern, is also charged with incitement to commit public violence.

The victim, who is a State witness, Nkosikhona Madlala, 27, has told the court that before July 12, 2021, the day when he was allegedly assaulted together with his two friends, he had gone to Tees Tavern. 

Madlala, who started leading his evidence on Tuesday, stated that on the day of the incident, July 12, 2021, Dlamini, Sandile Sambo, Sanele Merase, Mthobisi Ntuli, and Linda Khawula came to fetch him at his home in iNanda. He said the driver was Merase.

“They came in a Toyota Quantum with a written logo on its rear and above the windscreen, Touch Africa,” Madlala explained. 

He said that as his friends came to fetch him from his home, they told him “that we must go to Tees’ Tavern to buy”.

Madlala said he went inside the house to take money, and they then drove to Phoenix. Additionally, he mentioned that some roads had been closed with plastic barricades.

Moreover, Madlala has so far told the court that he knows Naidoo, Tyreece, and Timothy from the scene on July 12. He, however, said he does not know Gopal. 

“It is the first time seeing him here,” Madlala told the court. 

According to the State, Dlamini, Madlala, and Sambo were hit with golf sticks, baseball bats, and sjamboks. It also alleges that wooden pallets were placed on their bodies and liquid fuel was poured on them with the intent to burn them to death. 

Dlamini later died at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital due to blunt force head injuries.

The previous State witness told the court that Gopal ordered that Madlala, Sambo, and Dlamini be burnt together with their taxi after they were assaulted. He also stated that Tyreece and Timothy assaulted Dlamini with a hammer and a rock on the head. 

The trial continues.

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za

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