Musawenkosi Ncube, a 34-year-old man from KwaMashu, has been sentenced to an effective 30 years in prison by the Durban Regional Court for two murders, one of which occurred at the township’s hostel.

Ncube was convicted on four charges: robbery with aggravating circumstances, two counts of murder, and the unlawful possession of a firearm.

The court heard that Ncube killed Sphiwe Fana Nxumalo in Effingham during November 2021. The following month, December 2021, he robbed a store in Phoenix and stole a firearm. In January 2022, he used this stolen firearm to kill Sibusiso Dube at the KwaMashu hostel after an argument.

The acting regional court magistrate stated that Ncube failed to provide any compelling reasons for the court to deviate from the minimum sentences. Ncube had informed the court that he had a minor child.

“When he (Ncube) committed all these offences, he knew very well that he had a minor child. He cannot use that now as an excuse.”

The court questioned who had been caring for the child, given Ncube’s incarceration since his arrest in 2022, and reiterated that having a child was not an exceptional circumstance. 

“I have to place on record that media reports revealed murders at KwaMashu Hostel. However, since you have been arrested, we can observe that there have not been reports of murder at the hostel,” the magistrate said.

Taking into account that Ncube had been in custody since 2022, he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for robbery, 15 years for each murder, and 15 years for the unlawful possession of a firearm. 

The court ordered the sentences for robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm to run concurrently, and the sentences for murder to also run concurrently.

“The accused is to serve 30 years of direct imprisonment,” he said. 

While also being declared unfit to possess a firearm, Ncube was also told that the court had been lenient in its sentencing.

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za

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