One of the Zebediela farmworkers, who lost his middle finger after a shooting incident, has accused EFF leader Julius Malema's lawyer Tumi Mokwena of shooting at workers randomly without being provoked.

Security supervisor at Zebediela Citrus, Klaas Mboweni, told the Polokwane high court that Mokwena didn't fire a warning shot before aiming at the workers.

He took the stand in the trial of Mokwena, who is facing four counts of attempted murder after he allegedly shot four farmworkers over salary disputes at a citrus farm in Zebediela, outside Lebowakgomo, in June 2017.

"I was standing in front of the workers who were chanting and calling for Mokwena to come out of the boardroom.

"While I was busy negotiating for workers to make way for Mokwena, I suddenly heard a gunshot coming from behind.

"When I looked back to probe who fired the shot, I saw Mokwena and I realised I had been shot," he said.

Mboweni said he saw few workers fall down after being shot by Mokwena.

"He continued firing at workers and walked past between those who were shot and lying down. He fired more than five shots during the incident," he said.

Mboweni told the court that he underwent finger amputation after the shooting.

Mokwena, who represented himself in the high court, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

He is accused of shooting and injuring farm workers Michael Nyathi, Maile Mamokhere, Tshothwa Kekena and Mboweni.

Mokwena told the court that he acted in self-defense after he felt his life was in danger.

"There were more that 300 workers carrying dangerous weapons such as machetes, sticks and bricks."

"I drew my firearm because the crowd had already entered my offices. When one of them approached me with a stone, I shot at his hand. As I [was] walking out of the office I aimed at his lower body part and I shot him."

Mokwena accused the state of projecting him as a "savage who is trigger -happy".

He said workers had locked the gates and he felt he was held against his will.

"I fired three warning shots and after workers approached me with sticks and stones, I then fired another three aiming at workers because I was under a serious threat. I might have gone beyond self-defense limits but there was no aim to kill anyone."

Citrus farm general manager, Jakobus Swanepoel, yesterday testified it was not necessary for Mokwena to fire shots because there was no threat to his life.

"There were about 30-40 people who were carrying small sticks only. There was no machetes or any dangerous weapon at the scene that could have necessitated Mokwena to draw his firearm and shoot at the workers," he said.

Swanepoel further told the court that after the shooting Mokwena drove off and crashed open the gate with his vehicle.