Durban — Three teenagers, accused of breaking into a Clermont high school caretaker’s home in January and raping his girlfriend, are due to apply for bail in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court in April.
A fourth teen was denied bail in court last month. The four are charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances and housebreaking with intent to rape The State claims a knife and a gun were used in the incident.
In a separate court appearance, four men, Mthobisi Wonder Shozi, 23, Lebo Nhlakanipho Magwaza, 22, Brian Tyron Charles, 23, and Sbonelo Sxolile Mkhuluisi, 22 who are linked to a number of robberies at schools in the Pinetown district will appear in court for their bail hearing on Friday. State prosecutor Nomcebo Xulu said she would be objecting to bail.
Initially, the court had set the date for March 16, but one of the accused told Magistrate SB Ngcobo he had another matter in the Camperdown Magistrate’s Court.
The four face 14 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping in relation to a robbery on February 20 in Molweni where nine victims were held up at gunpoint and robbed of their cellphones and laptops. The nine were then apparently locked in a classroom.
The Department of Education said on the day that the men made their first appearance in court earlier this month linked to an incident at Tholulwazi High School, that a group of men entered the school premises terrorising teachers and taking all their valuables.
Earlier that week, in a similar incident at Dlamuzi High School in the Pinetown district, intruders entered the school premises and robbed staff of all their valuables. The said other schools robbed included Inchanga Primary School, Sithumba Primary School, Ndlulamithi High School, Ubhedu Primary School and Nazareth Primary School – all under the Pinetown District.
At that time Education MEC Mbali Fraser said there was a trend where criminals targeted educators, especially during extra and early-morning classes. This phenomenon poses a threat to the department’s Academic Improvement Plans, which include early morning and afternoon classes.
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