No minutes taken at meeting planning to kill Amcu members, court hears

No minutes were taken at meetings allegedly plotting to eliminate Association of Mineworkers and Construction (Amcu) members, the Brits Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday.

“Several meeting were held at different places, no minutes were taken at such meeting. Several items were discussed including liquidating Amcu at Lonmin. One meeting was held at the koppie where it was resolved that there should be work stoppage at Lonmin, so that Amcu should be blamed for the works stoppage,” investigating officer Warrant Officer Johannes Montsho told the court.

He was responding to questions during cross examination by defence lawyers who wanted to know whether minutes were taken and who were present at the meetings.

Montsho said only Peterson Siyaya did not attend the meetings.

Siyaya is the former National Union of Mineworkers Youth Structure (NUMYS) leader. He allegedly brought the money to pay hitmen, an allegation he has denied.

The state alleges that the accused were expelled from Amcu after the union appointed new leaders, and that the group plotted to remove them from office in a bid to weaken the union at Lonmin mine in Marikana in the North West.

Five Amcu leaders were identified to be eliminated.

As part of the conspiracy to commit murder, Amcu branch chairman Malibongwe Mdazo was shot and wounded in Mooinooi outside Brits on July 22, 2017 in an attempt to kill him.

Mdazo was one of the five leaders identified.

Twelve people have been arrested in this case. Two of them, Nkosinathi Mantashe and Samkelo Mkhutshwa, were released on bail, while Zithobile Mangqo and Bongile Cingo were released on warning.

The bail hearing for the rest continues.

– African News Agency (ANA)

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