Justice Delayed: Govender Brothers Ferrel and Darren Face Year-Long Wait Before Murder Trial Can Begin

Murder-accused former security bosses Ferrel and Darren Govender will likely have to wait until January 2027 to face trial for the shooting of Shailen Singh, with proceedings expected to last over a month.

The timeline was set during a pre-trial conference at the Durban High Court on Thursday.

The brothers are accused of shooting Shailen Singh in broad daylight on Meridian Drive, Umhlanga, in December 2024. The alleged motive arose from Ferrel accusing the victim of having an affair with his girlfriend.

Ferrel, who remains in custody after being denied bail four times, has been identified by the state as the shooter. Police recovered fourteen spent cartridges at the scene. He faces 14 charges, including murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of assault, and five counts of crimen injuria. Darren, who is out on R200,000 bail, faces the murder charge only.

Senior state prosecutor Advocate Krishen Shah told the court that a trial-within-a-trial would be required during the main proceedings due to disputed aspects between Ferrel and the state. Shah suggested January 17 or 18, 2027, as potential trial start dates, noting that five weeks would be sufficient for the proceedings.

Judge Nompumelelo Radebe proposed an additional pre-trial conference to explore alternative dates, but Shah stressed the necessity of reserving January 2027, as the court diary for the remainder of 2026 was fully booked.

Ferrel’s lawyer, Ravindra Maniklall, expressed frustration with the delay, highlighting that his client had been in custody since January 2025 and that previous discussions had considered a July 2026 trial start. Shah explained that the investigating team would be tied up with the high-profile murder trial of South African rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and his friend, Chef Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.

Previously, Judge Esther Steyn had refused to certify the case as trial-ready, instructing the defence to formally document the specific aspects of audiovisual evidence they intended to challenge.

Judge Radebe postponed the matter to February 12 for final confirmation of the 2027 trial dates, pending the court calendar. After the adjournment, Ferrel returned to the court’s holding cells, embracing Darren before leaving.

The extended wait has sparked concerns over the backlog in South Africa’s courts and the strain on families and victims seeking timely justice.

DAILY NEWS