The father of one of the four policemen killed in what has become known as the ”Jeppestown massacre” is looking forward to closing a painful chapter of life with the sentencing of the 12 men convicted of the robbery and murders.
”I have waited two-and-a-half years for this book to be closed. It’s been two-and-a-half years without any proper sleep. My son was a very brave man and I am very proud of him,” said Stanley Schoeman, whose son, Gert, was killed.
”I am just glad that this book will be closed,” he said as the Johannesburg High Court began filling up with the families of the bereaved and those of the men awaiting their sentence.
While red-eyed and emotional family members waited with bated breath for sentencing to begin, a heavy police presence kept a close watch on proceedings from front-row seats, reserved especially for them.
Twelve civilians and four policemen were killed in the shoot-out at a house in Mordaunt Street, Jeppestown, on Sunday June 25 2006 in the aftermath of a robbery at a Pick n Pay supermarket in Honeydew, on the West Rand.
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 died in the stand-off.
The civilians killed in the shoot-out were thought to have been part of the gang.
Van Heerden’s wife, Leonie, also a police officer, was injured and security guard Obert Tshivhinda and shopper Johannes van der Merwe were shot and injured at the supermarket.
Pick n Pay employee Mary Dineo Maleke was acquitted because there was not enough evidence to convict her.
Those awaiting sentence are Senzo Mweli, of Jabulani, Nkosinathi Mzamo Mchunu, of Hillbrow, Sizwe Mbuyazi, of Joubert Park, Khumbulani Mabaso, of Johannesburg CBD, Sizwe Dlamini, of Fairview, Sihle Mdunge, of Hillbrow, Muzulelwa Vezi, of Johannesburg, Siyanda Mgomezulu, of Hillbrow, Linda Hlongwa, of Jabulani Hostel, Bekokwakhe Zulu, of Benrose Hostel, Mhlomme Sesiba, of O’Riley Street, Johannesburg, and Zinto Mqunu of Jeppestown.
Their convictions range from murder and attempted murder to robbery and possession of unlicensed firearms.
During the trial, some said they were merely in the house to consult a traditional healer who practised from the premises.
Police surrounded the house to apprehend the gang, but a shoot-out ensued.
Photographs presented during the trial captured the tragedy of the events, with policemen who had managed to enter the house slumped next to each other in their bullet-proof vests and the civilians sprawled throughout the house. One man had tried to escape through the roof.
At the policemen’s memorial service, Gauteng Commissioner Oswald Reddy said: ”When the shoot-out stopped and the gun battle ended we entered the house and were horrified by what we saw. It was like a war zone. There were bodies everywhere.
”It was evidence to all of us that these policemen paid with their lives.”
The 12 men and Maleke, who was in a relationship with Mweli, were subsequently arrested.
Mweli was convicted of murder; however he had not been charged with the crime and the conviction was later recalled. He was instead found guilty of robbery and attempted murder.
The tragedy created debate over police preparedness for such situations, and the extent to which policemen under threat may return fire.
More than 40 witnesses testified during the trial, including a woman who was confronted in the parking lot before the robbery and a shopper who hid his wallet in a display of tomatoes. — Sapa