The Malamulele Magistrate´s Court was packed to capacity during the appearance of 44 people charged with public violence.

The residents from Makuleke village in Malamulele, who had been charged with public violence, arson and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, after allegedly beating up a man who is accused of stabbing his wife to death, were released with a warning to appear in court again and to adhere to certain conditions.

The accused allegedly assaulted Given Shiburi, before setting his huts alight after he had allegedly stabbed his ex-wife. The wife, Wendy Hlungwani, a nurse, died of her injuries

The incident happened in the wee hours of Sunday last week, and the woman’s body was found the following morning. The suspects were arrested on Monday night, after they had allegedly hunted the man down and beaten him and left him for dead.

Magistrate Norman Maluleke did not ask them to plead when they appeared in court on Friday. He postponed the case to May 5 at the Saselamani magistrate’s court. He said that although the prosecution and the defence attorney agreed that there they should be released on warning, with no conditions, he felt it necessary to attach the conditions. He said the 44 were ordered not to attend meetings, except church, funerals or meetings called at the royal kraal.

Mr Enos Maluleke, a member of the royal family, said he was not excited by the free bail. “The police from Saselamani police station are neglecting the area," he said.

Thulamela Ward councillor Livingstone Maluleke calmed the community. He urged the police to speed up investigations and to work hard to solve all outstanding cases.