Dan Fuphe

Dan Fuphe

One of the five men accused of the rape and murder of former Banyana Banyana soccer player Eudy Simelane caused a stir when he asked a Springs magistrate to release four of the suspects.

"They were not there," he told magistrate Betty Lesufi.

Lesufi said the request was inappropriate and should be directed at his lawyer.

Earlier yesterday there was drama when each of the four defence lawyers rose and told Lesufi that their clients had instructed them not to continue with their bail applications.

No reasons were given for the sudden change of heart.

Lesufi adjourned the court to allow the lawyers to consult their clients and postponed the case to June 26.

A self-confessed lesbian, Simelane was repeatedly gang-raped before being stabbed more than 20 times. Her body was dumped near the KwaThema hostel in late April and discovered by a passer-by the next day. He alerted police.

Simelane was killed just when her life was beginning to blossom, according to friends.

On Monday May 5, Simelane was to have started work as a merchandiser for a pharmaceutical company in Pretoria after being without a job for several years.

Simelane was actively involved in HIV-Aids counselling and also made sure handicapped people had food and clothing.

"She even used to wash them and cut their nails," her mother, Mally Simelane, said.

Though by no means well off, Simelane was sponsoring a final- year student at the University of Johannesburg after the boy lost his mother in 2002.

Throughout the interview with the Simelanes, Eudy's father, Khotso, seldom spoke.

He sat in a chair rocking back and forth, his hands tightly clasped in front of him.

As we were about to leave he leaned forward and looked me directly in the eye, his eyes red and swollen from heartache, and said: "I miss my little girl so badly. I'm lost, but I know she is sleeping."