Ex-Springbok U21 on triple axe murder charge

A FORMER South African rugby player accused of axing three men to death in a murderous rampage was yesterday named as Joseph Ntshongwana.

The retired international and club player, 33, was formally charged with three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one of assault with intention to commit grievous bodily harm as he appeared before a magistrate in Durban.

Former flanker Ntshongwana, a committed Christian who played as a youngster for the Springboks under 21s, was arrested on Tuesday after three men were brutally hacked to death in township suburbs around the Indian Ocean port city.

Police spokesman Vincent Mdunge confirmed the player's identity as he was remanded in custody until a bail hearing on 7 April. Six foot Ntshongwana neither spoke nor entered a plea during the short hearing, which came after he was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday following a police investigation into a string of horrific murders.

The player was held at his home in an upmarket Durban suburb, where was allegedly found with a 16-inch axe detectives believe could have been used to hack at least three people to death.

It is alleged that the burly forward, who enjoyed a club career with domestic South African sides including the Blue Bulls and the Eagles, went on a rampage over several days between last Sunday and Wednesday in township areas around the city.

One of his alleged victims has been named as Paulos Hlongwa, 46, who was completely decapitated. Police said the KFC security guard's head was found dumped in a dustbin in a separate suburb more than a mile away from his body. The bodies of two other men were also discovered, one of whom had also been virtually decapitated.

Meanwhile a fourth man is believed to have narrowly escaped the attacker. Student Siyanda Khumalo, 19, described how he manage to run away when a man swung at him with an axe last Monday in the Umlazi area of Durban. Police appealed for information after the spate of attacks and raided Ntshongwana's home following a tip-off.

Lt Col Mdunge said at the property officers found a rental car believed to have been used during the rampage as well as an axe and several items of bloodied clothing.

Yesterday several South African newspapers reported claims the killer had acted in revenge after his daughter was allegedly gang-raped and infected with HIV. Police later confirmed they were probing the theory but said they had found no evidence to prove it or even establish for certain whether the suspect had a daughter.

Ntshongwana, who was born in Umtata, in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, is listed as single in a profile of him on Faxcebook and the official South African rugby website.

On the social networking site he can be seen posting messages throughout last week and up until just 12 hours before his arrest.