DELMAS – The Delmas community is left waiting as the closely watched case of Wessel Badenhorst (55) has seen multiple postponements. Initially set for 9 April 2024, the hearing was moved to the following day due to load shedding at the Delmas Magistrate’s Court. On 10 April, it was again postponed to 16 April. Political parties, including the African National Congress (ANC), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK), and Our Last Hope, have voiced their opposition to the suspect being granted bail.
Badenhorst, head of security at Argen, was arrested on charges of the murder of Mzwakhe Hlatshwayo and attempted murder. On 22 March 2024, police were called, along with Emergency Medical Services personnel, to a farm where they found a woman with gunshot wounds. They later discovered the body of a male, identified as Hlatshwayo, with multiple gunshot wounds.
Thabo Matladi, ANC coordinator from Ward 9 at Argen, shared his feelings about the postponed bail application with Highveld Chronicle. “We wanted this man to stand trial without bail. He has a history of abusing people and has been in and out of jail because of it.” he expressed.
Pleasure Talane, a Regional Command Team member for the EFF, voiced her views on the postponement. “Because he is a white man, he will receive special treatment from the law. If he were black, he would have been sentenced long ago. From what we see, black people are still under the control of white people, and justice is not on our side,” she commented.
Deudance Sibande, representing the Victor Khanye Local Municipality Subregion of MK, emphasized the significance of the case’s postponement. “The postponement of the court case shows that black lives do not matter; they have no value. We are not satisfied with the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) system at Delmas Magistrate’s Court,” he emphasized.
