The seven men who were last month arrested for killing a 43-year-old Zimbabwean man, Elvis Nyathi, in Diepsloot, Johannesburg were on Friday granted R3000 bail each at the Randburg Magistrate Court.

Initially, the police had arrested 14 people, but seven others were cleared following thorough investigations.

The gang is accused of stoning and burning Nyathi of Chief Malaba in Matobo district after he allegedly failed to pay them a R300 bribe.

The men were reportedly carrying out hate crimes against African migrants, especially Zimbabweans around Gauteng Province.

The accused persons are reported to be part of a vigilante group implementing an operation dubbed “Dudula”, a Zulu word for drive back.

In a statement, South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said, ”Judgment on bail application was done at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court today, for seven accused of the murder of Zimbabwean national Elvis Nyathi in Diepsloot last month. They will be back in court on June 7, 2022”.

-State Media