A GOLD panner from Shangani in Matabeleland South province has been taken to court for attacking a colleague with a machete in a dispute over a cigarette.

BY DARLINGTON MWASHITA

Mqondisi Nyathi (35) was not asked to plead to assault when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu on Wednesday.

He was granted $300 bail and remanded to December 31.

The court was told that on December 16 at around 8am, Nyathi approached Mandlenkosi Thwala (33) armed with a machete and asked for a cigarette.

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Thwala told him he did not have any and this did not go down well with Nyathi, who struck him with the machete three times on the head.

A report was made to the police, leading to Nyathi’s arrest.