Durban- An IFP supporter testified yesterday how a peaceful protest turned into a nightmare as she watched her friend die in a hail of bullets.
Joyce Mzolo was testifying in the trial of National Freedom Party councillor Mgezeni Gwala, his son Celimpilo and their security guard Skhumbuzo Nxumalo in the Durban Regional Court.
The three have pleaded not guilty to the murder of IFP member Celiwe Shezi and two counts of attempted murder.
The State alleges that last October’s incident took place when IFP supporters were marching past the Gwala home in KwaMashu to the police station to wait for information about the whereabouts of their ward councillor and IFP leader, Themba Xulu, who had been abducted the day before.
Xulu became the ward councillor during the 2011 municipal election after Gwala sr, who was the previous councillor and an IFP leader, defected to the NFP.
Mzolo said the group decided to walk to the police station, on the day of the shooting, after Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa addressed them at a sports ground in the area.
Mzolo said the crowd was angry after Mthethwa left because he had urged them to be patient because police were investigating Xulu’s kidnapping.
“We did not want to go to our homes and wait. We wanted to know where our councillor was.”
She said while the group was singing and walking, two gunmen approached them and opened fire.
“I heard Celiwe say, ‘I have been shot,’ and then I saw her fall down. I did not look back at her, I just turned and ran.”
Mzolo said Gwala jr had been one of the gunmen.
“While I was running away, someone pulled me to the ground and told me to lie down. I could hear a woman crying out that she was injured, and when I looked up I saw Gwala sitting nearby with a gun in his hand.”
During cross-examination, attorney Simphiwe Moloi, who is acting for the Gwalas, told Mzolo that she was lying to the court because she resented Gwala sr for leaving the IFP to go to the NFP.
Mzolo replied she was “happy” when Gwala left the party because she and other IFP members did not want him as a leader.
Moloi added that there was a witness who would testify that Mzolo was misleading the court.
Mzolo said: “I do not have a problem with other witnesses testifying. I am telling the court the truth.”
The Mercury
