The long-awaited trial of six men accused of the Lusikisiki massacre has officially begun at the Eastern Cape High Court in Mthatha. The trial, expected to span approximately eight weeks, centers on the brutal September 2024 attack in Ngobozana Village near Lusikisiki, which left 18 people dead, most of them women attending a family gathering.
The horrific incident unfolded when gunmen stormed two neighbouring homesteads, opening fire and injuring several others. The massacre sent shockwaves through the rural community and sparked one of the most extensive criminal investigations in the region’s recent history.
The six defendants now standing trial face a total of 18 counts of murder, as well as charges of conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Among them is Mzukisi Ndamase, allegedly the mastermind of the attack, who has opted to represent himself in court. Ndamase, already serving a life sentence plus 15 years for unrelated crimes, has denied any involvement, asserting that he has been incarcerated for the past 17 years and therefore could not have participated.
In a striking courtroom moment, Ndamase requested access to witness statements and appealed to the judge to have his handcuffs removed to enable him to take notes effectively during the trial.
Four of the accused are also connected to a separate case: the murder of ANC politician Mncedisi Gijana, who was shot dead in KwaBhaca just weeks before the massacre. Two other suspects initially linked to the Lusikisiki case had their charges dropped earlier this year.
Survivors of the attack are expected to testify as key witnesses, and court preparation officers have been assigned to provide emotional and procedural support due to the trauma involved. The trial is anticipated to continue through mid-September, with prosecutors aiming to secure convictions in what has been described as one of the Eastern Cape’s most tragic mass murder cases in recent memory.
