The case against 22-year-old Ayanda Dludla has been postponed to 5 March for further investigation following his brief appearance at the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court, south of Johannesburg.
Dludla is facing 14 counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder stemming from a deadly scholar transport accident involving a truck on Monday, in which several schoolchildren lost their lives.
During proceedings, Dludla appeared visibly shocked as Magistrate Claudia Venter informed him of the seriousness of the charges and the need for legal representation.
Defence attorney Cathna de Klerk told the court that her client did not object to his images being broadcast by the media.
“The matter is already widely circulated on social media, including images of the accused. He has no objection to his pictures being taken by the media,” de Klerk said.
Magistrate Venter acknowledged safety concerns raised by both the State and the defence, particularly in light of recent violence at the Booysens Magistrate’s Court.
“Your concerns are understandable, especially following the violent incident at the Booysens Magistrate’s Court,” Venter said.
The matter was subsequently postponed to allow police to conduct further investigations.
Meanwhile, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana confirmed that the charges were upgraded from culpable homicide to murder after investigations indicated alleged intent.
“Culpable homicide charges are less serious compared to murder charges. The evidence contained in the docket points to intention,” Mahanjana said.
