Bekkersdal mass shooting case delayed due to missing witnesses

The case against five suspects in the Bekkersdal mass shooting hit a snag on Monday because of a lack of an identity parade.

The men appeared in the Westonaria Magistrates Court on Monday morning on charges of being in possession of live ammunition, having unlicensed firearms, and defeating the ends of justice.

They were arrested on Christmas Eve, weeks after the shooting of 10 people at a tavern last year.

The suspects were arrested after security guards from a mine conducted a random search for illegal miners and found 11 suspects in two houses in Westonaria.

But only five have so far appeared in court.

The suspects who have been charged have not been directly linked to the tavern shooting yet.

The media was denied permission to broadcast any audio or visuals of the matter, while members of the public were asked to exit the gallery for a private hearing.

The court heard that the witnesses meant to conduct the identity parade were still unavailable and out of the province.

The case has been postponed to 22 January for further investigation.