The two men accused of killing four people in an argument over the size of penises were dismissed from the police force in June, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Friday.

"The dismissal of Brian Steven and his brother Leon did not receive media attention. This has seen the media reporting that the brothers were still inspectors and that they were under suspension," said Superintendent Jay Naicker.

The Steven brothers, both former police inspectors, face four counts of murder.

On September 10 last year, Shawn Strydom, Nick Jansen van Rensburg, Rory Menzes and Bruce Edwards were killed during an argument at the Merseyside Pub in Umbilo in Durban.

At the time of the shootings, police said the argument began when a patron of Indian descent made a comment about the size of a white patron's genitals while both were at the pub's urinals.

"On June 8 this year the two men were dismissed from the South African Police force after the murder of four men," said Naicker.

The Steven brothers had been suspended immediately after they were charged and they had attended an internal hearing where they were found guilty and dismissed.

On Friday the High Court in Durban adjourned the case until Monday after Brian did not show up.

His lawyer Jay Naidoo told the court Brian was suffering from "severe flu" and was seeing a medical doctor on Friday morning.