‘You kill people as if you’re killing flies’

Murder accused Aphiwe Ndende has continued to berate alleged Lusikisiki massacre mastermind Mzukisi Ndamase, accusing him of making a mockery of the bereaved families’ suffering and urging him to “be human”, show remorse and take responsibility for the bloodbath. Ndende made the emotional appeal on Thursday, during his second day of testimony in the Mthatha High Court sitting in Lusikisiki. Judge Richard Brooks is hearing evidence on the September 2024 massacre in which 18 unarmed people, most of them women, were gunned down at Ngobozana village.

A two-month-old baby boy survived the attack in which his mother was killed. The mass shooting orphaned several children, wiped out some families and left others mourning multiple relatives. Ndamase, whom the state alleges orchestrated the massacre and the separate killing of an ANC politician, was serving a life sentence for murder and robbery in Mthatha’s Wellington prison at the time.

He has denied involvement and is representing himself in court. Ndende, who admitted to his own involvement in the killings but said he acted under threats from Ndamase, told the court the alleged gang leader had treated him as “nothing but a slave and a toy” and ruled through fear. “Mr Ndamase, stop making jokes about the pain of the people of Ngobozana.

[paywall]

“We have killed many innocent people because of you and your passion for killing people. “You are heartless and have no regard for human life.

[/paywall]