Magistrate Vusi Mhlangu postponed the case to 8 June for what prosecutor Greg Wolmarans described as "completion of aspects of the investigation".

Wolmarans said defence attorney Alan Goldberg also intended making representations to the regional director of public prosecutions.

Goldberg told the court his clients would not apply for bail at this stage.

He told Sapa afterwards the representations could involve either a call for charges — provisionally of kidnapping — to be dropped, or an approach for a plea agreement, depending on the docket, which he had not yet seen.

Members of the police's special task force boarded Taiwanese fishing vessel the Balena in South African waters on 5 May after crew members allegedly took the captain and first officer hostage.

They were demanding that it enter Cape Town harbour.

Sapa

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