4 suspects arrested at Madiba's Houghton property for hijacking appear in court

JOHANNESBURG - Four suspects appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon on charges related to hijacking a vehicle recovered at the late Nelson Mandela's family home in Houghton.

The group has been charged for the aggravated robbery, kidnapping and assault of an Uber driver.

The victim was allegedly hijacked by the accused after they requested an Uber from Randburg to Houghton in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Some hours later, the driver was released near Benoni before the vehicle was driven to the Mandela family home and parked inside the property.

The four accused appeared anxious and fidgety in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on Friday, where they were charged with robbing, kidnapping and assaulting an Uber driver.

They were arrested on Wednesday at former President Nelson Mandela's family home in Houghton after the vehicle was traced to the property and recovered. 

The media were barred from identifying the accused pending the completion of an identity parade. 

Senior prosecutor, Mahange ka Mzizi: "We ask that the applicants of the media houses before yourself, your worship, not to show faces, name the accused, by race or by gender, until their second appearance."

The State did not provide information as to why a fifth person arrested at the property on Wednesday, believed to be a grandson of Nelson Mandela, was not present in court. 

The case was remanded to next week.