Today's Labour News

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gavel thumb100 TimesLive reports that the man accused of killing car guard Vusi Mgiqwa has admitted to assaulting him and walking away as he thought "the matter was resolved".  

Lukas van der Merwe on Tuesday detailed his version of what happened on 26 October, the night he assaulted Mgiqwa, who had been a car guard in Springs.  His lawyer Pieter Wilkins in an application for bail, argued that Mgiqwa was not killed by the assault.  "The most probable cause of death was not the assault but when the deceased fell backwards and knocked his head," he said.  Mgiqwa, 25, fell on his head after the assault and later died in hospital.  Van der Merwe claimed that Mgiqwa swore at him and his family and stated further:  “I confirm that I assaulted the deceased by punching him in the face.  As soon as the deceased fell down, I ordered my family to go to the car as I thought that the issue had been resolved.  I also got into the vehicle and left the scene." According to an eyewitness, Van der Merwe punched Mgiqwa unprovoked.  Van der Merwe runs his own business as a mechanic and told the court he intended pleading not guilty to murder.  The case was postponed to 28 November.

  • Read the full original report by Penwell Dlamini at TimesLive


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