Sergeant’s successful crackdown on crime
It is often a long and painful road to get justice and closure for families whose loved ones lives have been brutally ended.
South African Police Service (Saps) members often work around the clock to see that justice is met. Mountain Rise Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Panchael Julius Singh, said they would like to commend the recent efforts of one of their members, Sergeant Msizi Mkhize, who has been able to get swift convictions for crimes committed in the area.
One of the most brutal cases that rocked the community was a triple murder and two rapes of an eight year old child in Sobantu. Grandmother, Zanele Ndlela (65), her daughter, Simangele Ndela (46) and grandchild, Zenande Ndlela (eight), were murdered in June last year.
Mkhize said he was able to finalise the case within three weeks, adding that it was vital that the scourge of gender-based violence was brought to end.
“This man just walked away from the home where three people were killed," he added. "When we found that he was the suspect and we questioned him, he told us he was not involved as he left the home when the women were alive.
“But then there was a witness who said that they saw him leave the home in the morning and even joked with him as he walked past.
“Due to the mountain of evidence against him, Njabulo Ndlovu (29) confessed and pleaded guilty.
"He said that on the day he, along with friends, went to drink at Simangele’s home. It was then agreed that they would stay over at the house and leave in the morning as he was drunk.
"He tried to have sex with Simangele and upon her refusal he strangled her. When her mother heard the commotion she woke up and he stabbed and killed her also.
"When the child woke up in the morning, she went outside and played. When she realised that her mother and grandmother were not awake, she went to check, and when he realised that the child would say that he was the last person at their home, he decided to rape and strangle her. He then just left the home."
Ndlovu pleaded guilty and was sentenced at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. He received five life sentences for the murders and two rapes of Zenande.
Another recent success was the sentencing of Ayanda Buthelezi, who received 135 years for a triple murder, the possession of two firearms and 15 years for robbery.
In February this year two men were killed while seated in an Audi A3 vehicle in Eastwood. Buthelezi’s friend suggested that they take the vehicle as he had a buyer for it.
Buthelezi and Nathi Madlala shot the two men and took the vehicle, only to crash it on the N3, near Ashburton, when they got into an argument.
Mkhize said Buthelezi had told him that he and Madlala went separate ways. Later Madlala’s body was found on the N3 and Buthelezi confessed to shooting him following the car crash.
The police sergeant has also been successful in getting justice for the families whose loved ones were killed during Covid-19, a time when many cases were postponed and adjourned.
These cases included the murder of a Bangladeshi national, who was killed in his shop at Steak Den, just after lockdown was implemented. A 19-year-old shop assistant was sentenced to 20 years for murder and 15 years for aggravated robbery.
“Nonkululeko Makhathini orchestrated the robbery," Mhkize said. "She planned that two men would come when the shop will close as that would be the time when the money will be counted.
"When the men arrived, she could not find the key to let them in. She decided to kill the shop owner on her own. She fled with R50 000.
"The CCTV footage that we had got was not opening with the format as it was old. Then we sent it to Durban. We got the footage and we were able to make an arrest and sentence."
Mkhize said that in many cases people become victims following fights with their former partners.
Nkosi Zondi, for example, was convicted of two murders and robbery with intent to murder, he added.
“On Christmas Day in December 2021, Zondi said that he was upset when he found that his ex, who is the mother of his two children, had found a new boyfriend," Mhkize said.
"An altercation started while they were at a family member's home. The altercation ended and everyone went home.
The ex then went to house of her new boyfriend. Zondi went there and brutally stabbed the two. He then disappeared from the area and it became clear that he was involved.
"I then followed his tracks to Ezinketheni, his relatives in Jika
Joe and his girlfriend to New Hanover, who he spoke to about what he did. He was arrested and after being in custody for a day he confessed to what he did. For three weeks I went to court everyday and he was sentenced."
Mkhize said that he has been working for 12 years as an investigating officer and started working on serious cases in 2016.