The three men arrested for the murder of a shop owner and her employee abandoned their bail applications in the East London Magistrates Court on Monday.
Themba Dingeni, Mandla Qosho and Siyanda Makeleni, aged between 44-50, face charges of murder, kidnapping, business robbery and the possession of stolen property.
This was after the burnt and mutilated bodies of 57-year-old Zoleka Gantana and 27-year-old Kholosa Mpunga were found near a dam in Peddie.
Gantana’s missing bakkie was found stuck in the mud which led police to discover groceries allegedly stolen from her Spaza shop in Kidds Beach in one of the suspect’s farms nearby.
In the plight of femicide, hordes of angry residents outside court called for the amendment of South Africa’s Constitution so that guilty parties may be hanged for their crimes.
The residents were particularly angry with Qosho, who is said to be Gantana’s neighbour in Ncerha Village.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape Transport MEC Xolile Nqatha echoed their calls, saying the constitution needed to favour victims more than it did perpetrators.
Police said a forensic investigation is underway to confirm whether the human remains found belong to the two missing women.
Unsure of how long the identification process will take, Gantana’s brother, Vuyani, said the most painful thing was not knowing when they would get the closure of burying their loved ones.
