The Durban Regional Court has handed a sentence of two terms of life imprisonment and an additional 15 years behind bars to Andile Mzwandile Biyela (25) after he was convicted for a double murder. The sentence was handed down on 12 September 2023.

His sentence came after the court heard how Biyela and his late co-accused arrived at a house in Quarry Heights and shot three occupants. On the night of 21 August 2021, Mxolisi Gida (46) and his girlfriend were inside a house together with his friend, Mthandeni Mpofana (30) when Biyela and Dumisani Hlabisa (28) kicked the door open and fired shots at the occupants. Both men succumbed to their injuries and the woman was grazed by a bullet on the hand and she survived.

Charges of murder and attempted murder were opened for investigation at Greenwood Park SAPS. During the investigation, it emerged that one of the accused was the ex-boyfriend of the surviving woman. The investigating officer pulled out all stops in investigating the double murder and attempted murder case. Evidence collected pointed to Biyela who was duly arrested and tried in court. His accomplice Dumisani Hlabisa died during a shoot-out with police in Ntuzuma. Bail was successfully denied and the accused was held behind bars until his sentence.

Source: South Africa Police Service