Murder Accused in David Rattray Murder

[Matatazela]

Being escorted by police to the court in Dundee, South Africa.

This may be more relevant to South African and British readers.

David Rattray was a battlefield historian and generally great guy, responsible for the research surrounding the British Army's worst ever defeat, at the hands of the Zulus at Isandhlwana, in Zululand. He was attacked and shot three times in the chest and died instantly, in front of his wife.

The man under the blanket is an accused that cannot be identified until he has undergone a line-up, as it would prejudice the case against him.

The first accused was found guilty on Friday, one week after the killing, and sentenced today to 25 years in prison. Swift justice is extraordinary in South Africa and while the police do their utmost, we still have about 18 000 murders a year.

[shaunknee]

Your first shot is dramatic. I remember reading Johannesburg had the higest murder rate in the world.

[jaybird]

18,000 a year? That's insane! I heard that Nairobi was now the most dangerous in Africa, but I'm not sure what their murder rate is. But, 18K is insane!!!!

[Matatazela]

This is from an e-mail I received yesterday, petitioning the government to make crime the number one priority.


More people are murdered daily in the" Post Freedom Struggle" "Peaceful",
Democratic", South Africa than any period during the so-called "Freedom
Struggle" and/or the 17 years of international boycotts and sanctions against
South Africa

5,000 people were killed on Sept 11, 2001 in America and the world "is at
war".

21,000 people were murdered in South Africa last year, and the rest of the
world turns a blind eye!

An 8 month-old baby girl was raped to death by 5 men in Cape Town, South
Africa, as they thought it would "cure their Aids".

A 24 year-old pregnant woman was repeatedly raped in her home in Birch Acres
Kempton Park, South Africa on Monday, January 08, 01.

A five-month pregnant woman, her husband and their five-year-old daughter
were relaxing at home when four unknown men entered the house. The husband
(32) was tied up and held at gunpoint while the suspects raped his wife in
the dining room. The suspects then ransacked the house and took electrical
appliances, household goods and clothing valued at about R20000.

No arrests have been made. The gruesome list goes on and on . . .

[Titus213]

Interesting photos and story. Was David Rattray attacked for his research or was it just random?

[Matatazela]

One of the group of six attackers said that their intention was a simple robbery that went wrong.

A friend visited a school in the area, where the principal (a Zulu) was weeping openly about David's death. The good that David has done is incredible, making connections between donors and recipients such as the school, which received computers and a roneo machine, among other items.

The community in the area is as devastated as anyone else (with the exception of those closest to David of course).