Five persons appeared in the Wyberg Magistrate’s Court for last week’s mob attack on e-hailing driver, Abongile Mafalala, last week in Parkwood. Mafalala was allegedly falsely accused of kidnapping after being robbed. He was then attacked by a mob who torched him, stripped his vehicle and attacked him until he died. The incident was filmed by the community and several videos from the incident went viral on social media.

In a statement issued by the National Prosecuting Authority it states that Nathan Leeman, Yuven Nawat, Bradley Murphy, Carlton Williams and Ashwin Teflon appeared in court charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and malicious damage to property.

Residents of Du Noon where Mafalala resided as well as friends and family members protested outside the court ahead of the appearance of the accused. The protesters complained afterwards that no space was made for the family in court and that proceedings were held in Afrikaans, a language they don’t understand.

Parkwood is a predominantly Coloured (mixed race in South Africa) township and Mafalala was a black African man. The community at first claimed they were reacted to a suspected kidnapping. Police investigations revealed these claims to be false and the first suspects were arrested on Thursday 2 June.

More arrests are imminent and the accused have been remanded in custody till Monday 13 June.