Phoenix massacre survivors lament state of SA’s criminal justice system
Survivors of the Phoenix massacre have questioned the criminal justice system on their lack of action on July 12 and the court process following the brutal attacks and killings.
On Wednesday, Ntethelelo Mkhize appeared at the South African Human Rights Commission's hearings on the July unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Mkhize, a resident of Ntuzuma township near Phoenix, painted a grisly picture at the hearings.
He is still recovering from being shot four times - allegedly by a group of Indian men who had set up a roadblock in Phoenix.
Mkhize and several other friends were stopped while taking a shortcut home through Phoenix.
The 36-year-old said he landed in the hospital and was in a coma for two months.
Several of his friends were also beaten, hacked, and shot at.
He never recovered his car to date.
"Among my concerns in how the bail was granted, we are not comfortable with the fact that we were attacked, called monkeys, and insulted with the K-word, yet the Magistrate at court is also an Indian person and we were not even offered lawyers," he said.
"Some of the perpetrators told the court they were suffering from chronic illnesses but on the day, they attacked us thy were acting like monsters, it made me wonder if their chronic illness was paused when they attacked us.”
He echoed the sentiments of a witness who appeared on Tuesday, Thulani Mseleku, who told the commission that after he was attacked there were no police on the scene.
Mseleku, however, said he was able to rush to the police station in Phoenix and found scores of officers and vehicles, yet people were being attacked and killed all over Phoenix.
One of Mkhize's friends, Mzwandile Magwaza who was hacked and beat with a brick on his face told the panel he saw black people being burned and bodies being hidden from the police.
He said when police were informed, they claimed to have searched all over Phoenix they did not find extra bodies.
Magwaza has also alleged that investigating officers are going to the High Court with incomplete witness statements and incorrect information.
He said they were informed their statements will be corrected in court.
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