newcastle

The former mayor of Newcastle has been found guilty of incitement to commit common assault. Photo: Pixabay

Hitmen go to jail for murder of ANC chief whip

Three hitmen have been sentenced for the murder of ANC politician, Thanduxolo Nobhongoza, after he approved a corruption probe.

newcastle

The former mayor of Newcastle has been found guilty of incitement to commit common assault. Photo: Pixabay

Three hitmen have been sentenced to life in jail for the murder of Sakhisizwe Local Municipality ANC chief whip and community services manager, Thanduxolo Nobhongoza.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said that three men, Thembisile Sixakaza, 32, Mnoneleli Mpusu, 44, and Mawande Dlephu, 30, had been sentenced to life in jail in the Mthata High Court, which sat in Cacadu last week.

Nobhongoza was shot and killed in broad daylight near his home in Cala Extension One, on 29 November 2018.

“The former Chief Traffic Officer at the municipality, Loyiso Nyembe, who is believed to have been the mastermind of the plot to kill Nobhongoza was arrested and charged with the three hitmen. However, he died during the course of the trial due to ill-health,” Tyali said.

“Nyembe had been accused of fraud and corruption in a different case relating to the illegal sale of drivers’ licences. That case put him in collision course with Nobhongoza, and he decided to kill him,” Tyali said.

“He organised the three hitmen from his hometown of Qumbu.  Having agreed to proceed with Nyembe’s wish, they all organised firearms loaded with live rounds of ammunition in pursuit of their plan,” he said.

On the day of commission of the crime, the men drove to Khowa to meet with Nyembe, before proceeding to Cala where they found the deceased walking towards his home and fatally shot him in full view of community members.

Middleman pointed out victim to hitmen

Nyembe and Sixakaza were granted bail after appealing to the High Court. While out on bail, Sixakaza was arrested for another robbery with aggravating circumstances case that he allegedly committed in Dutywa, a day before his appearance in court on 30 August 2021.

“During trial, they all pleaded not guilty only admitting to having been in Cala on that day to fetch a car from Nyembe,” Tyali said.

However,  Senior State Advocate, led the evidence of Ndoyisile Lamla, the middleman who had pointed out Nobhongoza to the hitman. He was granted immunity in accordance with Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act. 

The court also convicted the trio for charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and sentenced them to seven years in jail, which will run concurrently with the life sentence.