Seven of the 18 people arrested for the Jeppestown shootout after a supermarket robbery in June appeared in the Roodepoort Regional Court on Wednesday.
However, their bail application was postponed until October 4 as one of their lawyers was ill.
Four police officers and eight suspected robbers died in the bloody shootout.
During the brief appearance, two police officers armed R5 automatic rifles and wearing bullet-proof vests guarded the door into the courtroom.
Another, without a bullet-proof vest but also heavily armed, was stationed on the stairs from the holding cells to the court room.
Earlier in the trial, an order was made preventing the media from identifying them because of continuing investigations.
Two of the accused who face charges of armed robbery relating to the Pick ‘n’ Pay Rock Cottage supermarket on June 25 were arrested earlier this month.
The others also face murder charges following the deaths in Jeppestown of Inspectors Frederick ”Frikkie” van Heerden (32) and Victor Nzama Mathye (49) both of the West Rand dog unit; Sergeant Gert Schoeman (30) of the West Rand emergency response service; and Constable Pieter Seaward (31) of the Johannesburg dog unit.
During Wednesday’s hearing, two of the seven accused hobbled into the dock on crutches. Another wore a surgical brace on his arm. The rest wore handcuffs.
All of them were casually dressed in trousers, T-shirts and jerseys.
After the hearing they walked quietly back down the stairs while a handful of people left the court.
There was no apparent communication between those in the dock and those in the gallery.
All 18 are scheduled to appear again on October 16. — Sapa