DELMAS – The murder and attempted murder case of Wessel Badenhorst (55) saw yet another postponement on May 9, 2024, due to the absence of the Afrikaans interpreter. The case is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 14. Badenhorst, head of security at Argent, was arrested on charges of murdering Mzwakhe Hlatshwayo and attempted murder. According to the police, on March 22, 2024, they responded to a call, along with Emergency Medical Services personnel, at a certain farm where they found a woman with gunshot wounds. They later discovered the body of Hlatshwayo, with multiple gunshot wounds, deceased.
Zandile Skhosana, a member of Mkhonto Wesizwe, commented on Badenhorst’s limping at the Delmas Magistrate Court. “Badenhorst requested the magistrate to write a letter for emergency medical attention, claiming he is suffocating in the cells. However, his limping seemed to be a delaying tactic for the bail application,” she remarked.
Obert Sikhonde, a member of Our Last Hope, expressed confusion over the postponement of the bail application. “It’s puzzling why he arrived alone in a police van without other criminals. Normally, criminals are collected using a list from prison. This suggests he was picked up from somewhere else,” he stated. He further expressed concerns about potential illegal connections in the court system. “If the accused were black, they would have received a harsher sentence. They want political organizations like ours to give up on this case so they can freely release the murder accused,” he added.
Phindile Khumalo, a concerned community member, emphasized the frustration over the repeated postponements of the bail application. “We have no idea where Badenhorst stays, as he arrived late and alone with the police. It’s concerning how they keep postponing the bail application for so long. Additionally, I’m worried about the family from Belfast who spends their own money on transport for the bail application, only for it to be postponed,” she highlighted.
