Witness recounts being forced into a burning taxi during Phoenix unrest

A State witness who was beaten up in Phoenix during the July 2021 unrest has told the Durban High Court on Wednesday morning that people forced him to get inside a burning taxi that he and his friends had arrived with in the area. 

The victim has also pointed out three of the four men charged with murder and public violence in Phoenix during the unrest. 

Nkosikhona Madlala told the court that Ravine Naidoo, 67, Tyreece Govender, 21, and 46-year-old Timothy Govender were among the people who assaulted him on July 12, 2021, when he and his friends went to Tees Tavern to purchase cocaine. The owner of Tees Tavern, Trevor Gopal, 52, is an accused in this matter.

All four of them are charged with the murder of Njabulo Dlamini and the attempted murders of Madlala and Sandile Colin Sambo. They are also charged with public violence and malicious damage to property. Gopal is also charged with inciting his security guards and members of the public to incite violence against black Africans visiting Phoenix. 

As Madlala was testifying, he told the court that he had gone to Phoenix with Dlamini, Sambo, Sanele Merase, Mthobisi Ntuli, and Linda Khawula. He said they were traveling in a Toyota Quantum that had a written logo, Touch Africa. 

He said after they had bought cocaine from Tees Tavern and got inside the quantum, a white bakkie, a Ranger, blocked them. He said a group of people walking and some alighting from vehicles carrying weapons, shouted and told them to get out of the taxi.

Madlala said they got out of the taxi, but Dlamini remained inside as he was sleeping in the front passenger seat. 

“They told us to sit down. We refused until one guy took out a firearm and fired a shot,” Madlala said. 

State Prosecutor advocate Thabani Buthelezi asked him who the guy was who fired the shot. Madlala replied by saying the guy was the one driving a white Ranger.

He said that after the gunshot was fired, they all ran in different directions. He said as they ran away, a crowd of about 40 people ran towards them. At this stage, he said Sambo was running ahead of him.

He said the crowd was pursuing him, and he kept on running away and found himself back where the taxi was parked, and it was burning. He stated that those burning the taxi ordered him to get inside.

“They were pointing at me forcefully, with their weapons, shouting that I had to get inside the taxi. I refused. I lay down and they beat me with sjambok, golf stick, and baseball bats,” Madlala added. 

That time, according to him, the taxi was burning and the windows were exploding. 

The trial continues.

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za