JJ Cassanga, a security guard, was murdered during strike. Picture: Supplied
The Johannesburg High Court convicted former Clover employees, Mohale Shokane and Vusumuzi Duumba, for the violent murders of security guards Terence Tegg and JJ Cassanga.
AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit said it represented Tegg's fiancée Michelle Bebbington and the Cassanga family and collaborated with the police and prosecutor to gather evidence, construct a docket, and present the case in court.
“On February 17, 2022, a violent mob of striking Clover employees unleashed a savage attack on several guards outside the dairy producer’s facility in Olifantsfontein.
“While Tegg died on the day, Cassanga passed away in June that year as a result of complications from the injuries he sustained,” said the Private Prosecution Unit’s communications manager, Barry Bateman.
He added that distressing video evidence showed how a crowd of striking unionists rushed and overwhelmed Tegg, punching and kicking him to the ground before smashing his head with rocks and other weapons.
The intruders then stole Tegg’s wallet, shotgun, and ammunition. Cassanga was pursued and defeated, his head smashed and beaten with his own shotgun.
Bateman said the conviction has proved how tight collaboration between the state and the unit can guarantee justice for victims of crime.
“AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit’s involvement followed a plea for assistance from the SAPS. The unit’s seasoned detective ensured critical evidence was gathered and analysed, and affidavits implicating the accused in the murder were properly drafted and included in the case docket.
“Our members attended almost every court appearance from day one until the conclusion of the trial in order to monitor the progress of the case and to ensure the matter was brought to finality,” he said.
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