Johannesburg - Dozens of angry community members lined a passage inside the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Tuesday to get a glimpse of Mozambican national Emmanuel Sithole's alleged killers.
After a very brief appearance, prosecutor Jacob Tloubatla requested a postponement until May 4, when the group was expected to apply for bail.
"They killed our brother but now, you police are protecting them. You don't want us to see them," said an angry South African woman who had wanted to get inside the courtroom.
Police maintained strict control on access into the courtroom.
‘No to xenophobia’
Meanwhile, outside of court, the crowd of locals, some dressed in yellow ANC T-shirts with President Jacob Zuma's face on it, continued to swell.
The T-shirts had the word: "No to xenophobia" printed on them.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura and National Prosecuting Authority head Mxolisi Nxasana arrived shortly before proceedings began.
The four youths were brought into the court with a large media contingent covering the matter.
The group tried to hide from the cameras as they huddled in the dock, their faces buried into their laps.
Murder, robbery charges
Sifundi Mzimela, Ayanda Sibiya, Sizwe Mngomezulu and Mthinti Bhengu faced charges of murder and robbery.
They were all represented by one lawyer.
Three of the accused were arrested on Sunday night, just hours after a picture of Sithole being attacked was published on the front page of the Sunday Times.
The fourth accused was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning.