DURBAN – The Durban High Court handed down heavy sentences to three men on 2 November 2023, in connection with a quadruple homicide case dating back to 2020. Mashizolo Blessing Ngcobo, aged 52, received four life terms for the murder of four individuals, while Thelabantu Pius Ngcobo, 45, was sentenced to two life terms for a double murder. Enock Mhlaziphethwe Sithole, 50, was also given four life sentences for murder, alongside an additional five-year term for the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. These sentences are set to run concurrently.
According to South African Police Service, the incident occurred on 26 September 2020 at a sports ground in the Olwambeni area of KwaNdengezi. The victims, Sthembiso Sithole (24), Thabani Hlengwa (21), Simphiwe Khanyile (23), and Nhlanhla Shange (17), were publicly shot and killed, accused of stealing a goat. The murders, witnessed by community members, led to murder charges filed at KwaNdengezi SAPS. The case was later transferred to the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit, which played a pivotal role in securing the convictions by gathering substantial evidence. Initially, four men were apprehended in connection with the crime, but charges against one 62-year-old man were subsequently dropped. The police also confiscated the firearms used in the crime. Following several court appearances, the three accused were ultimately sentenced.