Alleged killer's relative apologises - plays race card

A relative of one of the men accused of kidnapping and murdering a teenage boy says he wants to say sorry.

The heartbroken man said he desperately wanted to attend the funeral service of murdered Keanan Drial, 14, on Saturday but police warned him to stay away.

He said cops had warned that his black skin would only intensify newly-sparked racial tensions. "snip"

- Police say Ngcanga and accused number one, Mzamazi Mbiza, 40, of Mont Claire, and accused three, Sityhilelo Nkakla, 32, of Philippi, stabbed Keanan in the chest and kidnapped him on the afternoon of February 11 in Loftus Road, Beacon Valley, Mitchell's Plain.

Police believe the trio accused the Grade 9 Oval North Technical High School pupil of stoning the windscreen of their driving school truck.

Since the start of the court case, Xolani says he and other family members have been desperate to pay their respects to Keanan's mother Vanessa Drial, 34.

"This was so brutal, it was cruel and barbaric if I had the words to describe this," explains Xolani.

"Since the beginning we wanted to speak to the family. We expressed our condolences to them and we told them we wished to attend his funeral service but police members advised us not to because of the racial tension.

"We want to say to the family that we are sorry for what has happened, we are not God. If we could go to that child's grave and wake him up, we would."

Xolani also expressed his hurt and disgust at the senseless murder, saying nobody deserved such a death.
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