South African police have requested that the widow of Elvis Nyathi, who was brutally murdered by an anti-immigrant vigilante group in Diepsloot, last month come back to the country in order to identify her suspected husband’s killers.
Seven men appeared at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in South Africa two weeks ago, in connection with Nyathi’s murder and are facing charges to do with murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and extortion.
Initially, 14 suspects were arrested but seven were released after police did not find conclusive evidence on their involvement.
CITE has learnt that Nyathi’s widow, Nomusa Tshuma was asked by the police to come back into South Africa, as a witness to identify whether the suspects are indeed the killers at an identification parade.
This was disclosed by an MRP delegation who met with Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi in Pretoria where they also discussed the protection of Tshuma, should she go for the trial and identification parade.
MRP National Spokesperson, Velile Moyo, told CITE that they had asked the Zimbabwean ambassador and the government to be involved in the process so that Tshuma’s safety was guaranteed.
“She is still there in Zimbabwe but when the suspects were arrested by the police there was a need for identification or parade to prove that they are the ones that did that so,” he said.
Moyo said initially, the police had asked Nyathi’s brother to do so but he failed to identify any of the suspects.
“So, for that reason the police in South Africa, are now saying it would be good for Mrs Nyathi to come and do the identification,” he noted, saying the South African police will meet with her in Beitbridge, then ferry her to Johannesburg for that process.
“After the identification, they then take her back again to Beitbridge. I think that was the request police had said and is something that has to be considered. I’m not sure if the family has considered that.”
The MRP spokesperson indicated that looking at such procedures, it would be advisable for the Zimbabwean government to be involved.
“We are simply saying the government of Zimbabwe should be the one that is fully involved in the process and that’s what we were discussing for the sake of the family’s security,” Moyo said.
Nyathi was killed for not having a passport so was beaten up, stoned and burnt to death by his attackers.
He was buried in Bulawayo, leaving behind Tshuma and their four children.
Nyathi’s death rattled many Zimbabweans who called for both governments in Zimbabwe and South Africa to look into the migration crisis.
