Three men accused of unleashing a month-long wave of terror across Nelson Mandela Bay appeared in court on Tuesday on close to 50 charges including murder, kidnapping, attempted murder and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The state believes that Thando “Ayanda Nthotho” Zinco, 37, Lubabalo “Stuks” Nqabeni, 33, and Mvelase Sophazi, 32, worked together with one of the most wanted men in the city to carry out a series of serious crimes.
The outstanding suspect, Thembisinkosi “Terra” Mangesi, has been on the SA Police Service’s most wanted list since September 2025.
Mangesi has been implicated in five separate murder cases, business robbery, attempted murder and a hijacking, all dating back to 2023.
The three accused in the dock on Tuesday told the Gqeberha high court that they would apply for Legal Aid SA representation.
The case was accordingly postponed to August 6 for that purpose.
The accused remain in custody.
Zinco, who appeared agitated in court, demanded a copy of the charge sheet.
However, state advocate Daniel Andrews refused.
With one state witness already murdered, Andrews raised urgent concerns about the safety of those still expected to testify.
“The indictment will be submitted to the defence team — not the accused,“ Andrews said.
“A witness in this case has already been taken out.
“There was evidence that [the instruction] came from St Albans Prison, so my fear is that once the copy [of the charge sheet] is in prison, more witnesses in this case will disappear.”
Shortly thereafter, Sophazi raised his hand and demanded that their property seized during their arrests be returned.
Andrews retorted that it formed part of the evidence collected by the police — and some of the items confiscated were believed to have been used during the alleged crime spree.
According to the indictment, the three allegedly committed their crimes between October and November 2023 in Booysen Park, KwaDwesi, Kariega and Jeffreys Bay.
The state alleges that the accused are guilty of aiding and abetting criminal activities committed for the benefit of a criminal gang.
These included:
- The murders of Viwe Conini, 19, Thembela Loli, 24, Loyiso Nelo, 19, and Esihle Gxogxa, 19, on November 12 2023. All four victims were shot multiple times near Sikhundla Street, KwaDwesi;
- The murders of Masixole Poni, 25, Melvyn Mnyaka, 30, and Mbulelo Kona, 40, in Mandela Village, Kariega, on November 14 2023. A fourth person, who cannot be named for his safety, survived;
- The attempted murders of two others, whose identities are also being withheld, on the same day;
- Housebreaking with intent to commit murder when the accused allegedly broke into a house in Sikhundla Street, KwaDwesi, with the intent to kill everyone inside the property;
- Five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and five counts of kidnapping. This all occurred at a petrol station in Booysen Park on October 18 2023. On that day, the men allegedly threatened to shoot their victim, before stealing a cellphone, a generator, an Opel Corsa bakkie, and cash. Five people were also forced at gunpoint to remain inside the garage’s waiting room;
- Eight charges related to the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition; and
- The intimidation of a witness between January and May 2024 at the St Albans correctional facility when the accused allegedly tried to compel him to abstain from pointing them out during an official identification parade by threatening to kill, assault and injure him.
In relation to the incident at the garage, the state alleges a group of men armed with firearms arrived at the Caltex in Booysen Park.
Acting in common purpose, they allegedly held the garage employees hostage while robbing the premises, customers and employees.
“The customers and employees of the Caltex garage were held on the premises against their will until the suspects left with their belongings,” the indictment reads.
“The entire incident was captured in detail on CCTV.”
Zinco and Nqabeni, the state claims, were identified from the video footage by means of facial comparison identification, while Sophazi was allegedly linked by the clothing he wore during the incident.
In KwaDwesi, the state alleges, the three deceased were shot and killed by a group of men.
“[After the triple murder], while exiting the premises, the accused noticed the neighbour and his friend on the opposite side of the road and [allegedly] fired shots at them both.
“The neighbour was wounded but survived the attempt on his life. His friend managed to drive away.”
The state alleges three of the survivor’s friends were then shot dead in Mandela Village, Kariega.
“While [the complainant] was still in the shop, a white vehicle stopped behind the vehicle in which his three friends were seated,” the charge sheet reads.
“[The witness] saw Nqabeni exit the vehicle with a silver firearm in his hand.
“He also saw Zinco and Terra with Stuks inside the vehicle. Thereafter, he heard multiple gunshots. He then ran and took cover.
“After the shooting, once everything was quiet, [the witness] came out of his hiding place.
“The police were already on the scene.
“He discovered that all three his friends had been killed.
“He then informed the police on the scene who the suspects were and how he knew them.”
A tip-off was received by the police on November 16 2023 from an informant about the suspects’ whereabouts.
The assistance of the Police Task Force was obtained, as well as a search warrant for a property in Wavecrest, Jeffreys Bay, where the accused were allegedly hiding.
On arrival, the police found three suspects watching TV in the living room.
“One suspect had a black PX4 Storm semi-automatic pistol on his lap,” the charge sheet states.
“On searching the premises, another firearm and an FEG Luger semi-automatic pistol were found on the bed.
“A revolver was also found on the floor next to the bed in another room.”
When the garage was searched, the state alleges, a white Toyota Corolla sedan was found, which was a rental car in Nqabeni’s name.
“On searching the vehicle, various firearm magazines were found and different calibres of ammunition were discovered.”
Ballistic reports allegedly linked the firearms to the crimes.
The state said the vehicle tracker also placed the car in the vicinity of the crime scenes.
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