Terence Tegg
Two former employees at Clover who worked at the dairy producer's facility in Olifantsfontein on the East Rand have been sentenced to two life terms in prison on Monday.
Mohale Cleta Shokane, 34 and Vusimuzi Makula Duuba,38, were found guilty of killing two security guards stationed outside the facility during a violent protest on 17 February 2022.
A violent mob of striking Clover employees unleashed an attack on security guards outside the facility captured on footage that went viral on social media.
Security officer Terence Tegg died on the scene while his colleague JJ Cassanga died four months later as a result of complications he sustained from his injuries.
Terence Tegg and JJ Cassanga
Tegg's fiance and the Cassanga family approached Afriforum's Private Prosecution Unit who worked closely with the police and prosecutor to gather evidence and complete a docket to present to the court.
During the trial, in the Johannesburg High Court, the Judge rejected the evidence of Shokane and Duumba, describing their versions of events as a "thumbsuck and afterthought".
Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Phindi Mjonondwane says key video footage from nearby factories and witness testimony identified th Shokane and Duuba.
She says besides the two life terms for each killer, they were also sentenced to an additional six years for assault and malicious damage to property.
The court described their actions as barbaric and wholly unnecessary, noting their lack of remorse.
Mjonondwane says the verdict stands as a stark reminder that violent acts, especially those committed in the context of protests or demonstrations, will not be tolerated.
