Killer soldiers’ appeals rejected

THE appeals by two former KZN soldiers who were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of three men, have been dismissed.

The two former SANDF members, Nthuthuko Zulu, 38, and Bhekinkozi Ndlovu, 30, had appealed against their sentence on the basis that substantial and compelling circumstances existed to justify a lesser sentence than life.

They argued they were both first offenders and had children depending on them. It was also submitted that the murders had not been premeditated.

In a reserved judgment yesterday, Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Anton van Zyl found, however, that the trial court was justified in imposing the life sentences.

Zulu and Ndlovu, who were parttime soldiers in the SANDF and stationed at the Mandini Army Base in KwaZulu-Natal, were both convicted of the murders of Vincent Buthelezi, Sikhumbuzo Ziqubu and Christopher Nxumalo on October 10, 1998.

On the night of the murders, they were part of a seven-man platoon conducting foot patrols beyond the perimeters of their base.

Zulu was placed in command and all the platoon members were in uniform and armed with automatic assault rifles.

At about 3pm they came across Douglas Mahaye and searched him. They found a knife on him and assaulted him. Zulu stabbed Mahaye with his own knife, but Mahaye managed to escape.

The platoon then came across Buthelezi, Ziqubu and Nxumalo, who were all off-duty security officers employed by security company IPSS, in Mandini.

The three were taken back to the army base where Zulu and Ndlovu fired several shots at them, killing two men instantly, while the third died in hospital the next day.

The motive for the kidnapping and executions remain a mystery.