The Soshanguve magistrate’s court has granted R5,000 bail to the new host of Moja Love's anti-drug show, Sizok’thola, who is charged with attempted murder.

Xolani Maphanga, 39, and his bodyguard, Bongani Mkhabela, 33, who is also the director and owner of Tshenolo Private Investigative Company, have been charged with three counts of attempted murder and trespass.

TimesLIVE reported that Maphanga and his crew had allegedly assaulted three people in Soshanguve while the show was being recorded in March.

A case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm had been opened at Soshanguve police station after the alleged assault.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said on March 14 the duo, together with other crew members of the Moja Love show who have not been identified, allegedly went to the complainant’s house in Soshanguve, looking for drugs they claimed she was selling.

“When they could not find the drugs, it is alleged the two started to assault a woman, who is a complainant in the matter, with a sjambok and choked her and further suffocated her brother. Three days after the incident the woman reported the matter to the police,” she said.

Maphanga and Mkhabela handed themselves over to the police on April 9 after a warrant of arrest was issued against them, Mahanjana said.

In their bail bid, the two denied committing the offences and asked to be granted bail.

The state did not oppose their release on bail but asked the court to impose conditions that the two should not communicate directly or indirectly with the witnesses and should report to their closest police station once a week.

The matter has been postponed to May 21 for further investigations.

TimesLIVE