The men accused of killing Gauteng health department official Babita Deokaran will he tried next month. 

On Friday, the six accused made their first appearance in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg for a pre-trial hearing. Previously, the case was heard in the magistrate's court. 

Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Siphakanyiswa Dladla are accused of shooting Deokaran outside her home in Mondeor. 

Their lawyer, Shafique Sarlie, told the court: 

We received the contents of the docket and it's 1 600 pages. We require the time to get those things in order.

He said he also needed time to consult with his clients. 

The case returns to court on 24 August.

At the time of her murder, Deokaran worked in the health department's Financial Unit, investigating several corruption cases. Her killing was described as a hit. 

The six accused are charged with murder as well as the attempted murder of Deokaran's domestic worker, who was in the car with her when she was shot but was not wounded. 

They face additional charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and conspiracy to murder.

All of the accused were denied bail last year. 

During their bail application, the defence team alleged that the accused were forced to make concessions, including one that implicated former health minister Zweli Mkhize as their paymaster. They claimed police assaulted their clients.

After Mkhize's name was mentioned in open court, he released a statement denying any knowledge of or involvement in Deokaran's murder.

A News24 investigation found that five of the six men hailed from the same village in rural KwaZulu-Natal and that they had gathered for a function before Deokaran's murder.Another exclusive revealed that Mbhele was still receiving a salary from the Inkosi Langalibalele District Municipality in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, where he worked, even though he was behind bars and went AWOL in March.