The four men arrested in connection with the killing of Emmanuel Sithole will remain in police custody until May 4 when they can make a bail application.

Their appearance at the Alexandra Magistrates Court on Tuesday was brief‚ and it followed the overnight arrest of the fourth suspect in the case.

The three others were apprehended on Sunday night.

Police on Monday said that the man seen stabbing Sithole was amongst the first three to have been taken into custody.

Mozambican Sithole’s murder on Saturday was captured by Sunday Times photographer James Oatway‚ and the images of the brutal death prompted police to offer a reward of up to R100 000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprits.

The arrests on Sunday night were‚ reportedly‚ made with the help of the community.

Yet‚ following the attack‚ Oatway received grudging support when he attempted to remove Sithole from the scene and get him to medical help.

“Help me get him into the car. Help me‚ please‚” said photographer James Oatway‚ looking around at men gathered around him. One stepped forward‚ reluctantly.

Sithole was taken to the nearby Alexandra Day Clinic‚ where nurses did what they could‚ but as there was no doctor – he was apparently absent from the facility as he feared being attacked — he was eventually taken to the Edenvale Hospital.

Shortly after 9am‚ Sithole was pronounced dead.

There was a heavy police presence in the area around the court on Tuesday ahead of the suspects’ appearance as there has been a huge public outcry following the publishing of Oatway’s images.

President Jacob Zuma made mention of them on Monday‚ when he said the publication of the photographs made South Africa “look bad”.

The “overwhelming public interest’ in the case had also led to the justice department making an application to the magistrate to allow cameras inside the courtroom”‚ department spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga told RDM News Wire.