Hawker’s killer took part in 2013 xenophobia attack, court hears
MTHINTHO Bhengu served six months in jail for assaulting a foreigner three years ago.
The 20-year-old could now face life in jail for the murder of Mozambican hawker Emmanuel Sithole.
Bhengu is one of three killers due to be sentenced tomorrow for Sithole’s murder.
They were photographed stabbing Sithole in April last year by Sunday Times photographer James Oatway.
This happened in the aftermath of overnight tension in Alexandra, Johannesburg, following days of xenophobic violence in various parts of South Africa.
On Friday, the Johannesburg Regional Court heard that Bhengu had a 2013 conviction for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Investigating officer Detective Rapule James Maaba testified that Bhengu was part of a mob that attacked foreign shop owners during the 2013 flare-up of xenophobic violence.
Maaba insisted that the attack on Sithole was not xenophobic and that the victim’s nationality was just a coincidence.
The state seeks a minimum sentence of 15 years for the murder.
A report from probation officer Wonderful Baloyi stated that Bhengu’s family was shocked by his behaviour because he was a ‘‘well-mannered” and ‘‘respectful person”.
‘‘His mother described him as short-tempered and said his behaviour emanated from the unfavourable circumstance of poverty that he was raised in and not being able to achieve much in his life,” Baloyi wrote in the report.
The probation officer told the court that Bhengu was “partially remorseful” about stabbing Sithole.
State advocate Jacob Tloubat- la told the court: “[Bhengu] is short-tempered . . . He is a time bomb . . . he shouldn’t be living in the community.”
One of his co-accused, a minor, was in Grade 11 when he was photographed wielding a knife in the attack on Sithole.
According to a report by his probation officer, Keitumetse Ditsele, the teenager’s parents said he was a ‘‘good boy” who had no history of violence.
But his former school principal told Ditsele that the teen was arrogant and disrespectful to his teachers.
The mother of the third ac- cused, Sfundo Mzimela, took the stand on Friday and asked the Sithole family for forgiveness.
Zamele Shezi told the court she had handed her son over to the police after the attack.
‘‘I ask for forgiveness on behalf of my son. I ask for forgiveness from the whole community,” she said.
One of Sithole’s relatives who testified in aggravation of sentence, Mamosebetsi Mofokeng, said the family wanted justice.
Magistrate Lucas van der Schyff will hand down sentence tomorrow, about 10 months after the murder.