ACCUSED of hacking two men to death and raping a woman in Richards Bay in June, Xolani Mpanza (20) appeared in the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody.
He is charged with the murder of Mozambican nationals John Sithole (45) and Thulani Mtimbane (39), as well as the rape of a woman on the night of the murders.
The matter was postponed to 22 August as the DNA report is still awaited.
Sithole, Mtimbane and the woman were attacked while asleep in their home on 13 June at about 10pm.
The men ran away and left the woman with Mpanza.
He allegedly raped her and tied her to a chair outside the shack and set the informal settlement on fire and ran away.
It was reported that Mpanza then went looking for Sithole and Mtimbane, found them, killed them and buried their bodies near the settlement.
The rape victim managed to escape and seek help. Community members tracked down the suspect and handed him over to the police.
The following day the accused led police to the shallow graves where the bodies were discovered.
