Durban - Two hitmen were sentenced to two life terms each by the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Friday for the murder of two taxi owners in Nomgoma in the Northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal in two separate incidents.
The court sentenced Makhimba Buthelezi, 33, and Thabani Ngwenya, 36, to two terms of life imprisonment each for murder and 14 years imprisonment for charges of attempted murder. Buthelezi was also sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm and two years for possession of ammunition.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said the sentences will run concurrently.
Gwala said the first taxi owner was 47-year-old Mzokhona Dlame.
She said that on December 19, 2016, at 8:30pm Dlame was at his homestead where a traditional ceremony was held.
“While at his homestead, two armed men showed up and fired shots at him. He sustained gunshot wounds to the head, neck and thigh,” said Gwala.
Gwala said he was declared dead on the scene.
“The other taxi owner that was with the victim managed to escape unharmed,” she said
Charges of murder and attempted murder were opened for investigation at Nongoma SAPS.
In August 2018, Buthelezi was arrested in the Maphophoma area in Nongoma where he was found in possession of a firearm with nine rounds of ammunition.
Gwala said Ngwenya was arrested in Benoni when he attended another case where he was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm.
“Both accused were tried in court. During the investigation, it was established that both accused are also linked to another case of murder and attempted murder that occurred at Nongoma in 2017,” she said.
The second victim, 66-year-old taxi owner and chairperson of the Nongoma taxi association Mthuthuzeli Mchunu, was killed on October 17, 2017.
According to police, Mchunu was standing next to his vehicle near a service station when two armed men emerged and opened fire at him.
Gwala said he sustained injuries to the head and chest.
“He was taken to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. A bystander was shot on the leg and was also taken to hospital,”said Gwala.
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