The alleged hitmen who attempted to assassinate South Africa Revenue Services (SARS) forensic investigator Advocate Coreth Naude in Durban were “imported” from Cape Town.
By: Willem Phungula
Durban — The alleged hitmen who attempted to assassinate South Africa Revenue Services (SARS) forensic investigator Advocate Coreth Naude in Durban were “imported” from Cape Town.
The accused were arrested in Mitchells Plain and Milnerton on December 17 in what is described as a major breakthrough in the case.
The accused who are facing a charge of attempted murder, appeared in the Durban magistrate’s court on Monday for a formal bail application.
Accused number one, Siyanda Emmanuel Mbulwana, 29, lives in Bellview Estate while his counterpart Mcebisi Runeyi, 28, is from Portland, Cape Town. The state had to find a Xhosa language interpreter for the accused.
On the day of the incident, Advocate Naude was driving into the Premier Hotel in Durban in July when she was ambushed by two men who opened fire at her.
Naude’s car was riddled with bullet holes after she was shot three times.
She managed to drive inside the hotel in uMhangla where she received emergency medical attention before she was rushed to hospital.
The suspects fled from the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla.
The case was assigned to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime: Murder and Robbery Unit, where the police hit the ground running in search of clues and possible leads.
Police said their investigations led them to the Western Cape Province where they found the two suspects where it appeared as if they were hiding in Cape Town.
At the time of the attempt on her life, Naude was investigating the alleged tax evasion case against top provincial businesswoman Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize.
A few weeks ago the National Prosecuting Authority’s Assets Forfeiture Unit pounced on her posh properties and attached several assets including expensive cars which were seen being towed away.
The attack on Naude was described by SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter as an attempt to intimidate SARS officers to abandon the vital work they were performing.
