A resident of Diretseleng location in Taung testified in the Northern Cape High Court that a group of young men whom he found washing a bloodstained vehicle had informed him that they had hit a donkey in the road.
A RESIDENT of Diretseleng location in Taung, Kebontshitse Motsako, testified in the Northern Cape High Court that a group of young men whom he found washing a bloodstained vehicle had informed him that they had hit a donkey in the road.
The vehicle, a silver Mazda CX-5, was stolen from a farm belonging to the Brand family in Hartswater on July 26, 2020. The family of three had been assaulted, abducted from their farm and left to die in the veld near Takaneng village near Taung.
The accused in the matter – Donald Seolesang, 22, Tshepo Visagie, 38, Kgomotso Mpumlwane, 45, and Tshepaone Melato, 21 – were charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
Charges against Realeboga Manyedi, 21, were withdrawn as he will be used as a Section 204 witness.
Motsako told the court on Monday that he had seen the men washing the vehicle at a tap in the road close to his house on July 26, 2020, during the late afternoon.
“It was a silver Mazda 5. I was interested because the car had a Gauteng Province registration and it was the first time that I saw that type of vehicle in the village,” said Motsako.
“Three of the gentlemen (Seolesang, Visagie and Manyedi), who were cleaning the boot of the car, told me that they had hit a donkey and that they were washing away the blood. Melato was sitting a distance away on a tree stump and smoking. I have an eye problem so I cannot see far into the distance and I was not wearing my spectacles.”
He added that he noticed that the spare wheel was broken.
“Visagie was washing the car while the other accused brought him water in a bucket that he poured into the boot. The water was stained red from the blood.”
Motsake added that Visagie introduced Seolesang as his younger brother.
