Suspect in Rafferty farm murders due back in court next week

The 29-year-old suspect in the Rafferty farm murders is due back in court on 28 September for a bail application.

Spokesperson of the national prosecuting authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal Natasha Kara said the state will oppose bail.

The suspect, Siyabonga Goodman Macu, appeared in the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the murder of Glen Rafferty and his wife Vida Rafferty on 29 August.

The couple were shot and killed on their farm in Normandien, in the outskirts of Newcastle.

Macu faces charges of tow counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and conspiracy to commit robbery.

Meanwhile, Police Minister Bheki Cele on Monday attended a rural safety imbizo hosted by the police ministry in Normandien.

The imbizo came after KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala’s engagement on Saturday with the local community to address the rise of farm killings in the province.

Speaking at the imbizo on Monday, one attendee said national and provincial leaders have set up structures and several committees to deal with community issues that remain unresolved.

“You will build these committees until when,” the man asked Cele in IsiZulu.

He said these committees are established to deal with community issues which he said “come from white people”.

“Why are you scared of white people, Ndosi [Cele’s clan name]? Why do you keep saying you’re building committees for white people when they are continuously troubling us … but you are scared to talk to white people,” he said.

Cele on Monday called on the police in the area to work on, and follow up on, all cases opened at the local police station without favour or racial bias.

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