15 YEARS DIRECT IMRISONMENT FOR FORMER POLICE OFFICER
28 January 2026
15 YEARS DIRECT IMRISONMENT FOR FORMER POLICE OFFICER
The Mtubatuba Regional Court has sentenced Vusumuzi Jetro Thabethe (45) to 15 years direct imprisonment for the murder of a man outside a tavern in Ingwavuma, in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Thabethe was a Sergeant in the South African Police Service (SAPS) at the time of the offence.
On the evening of 29 September 2024, Thabethe was off duty when he went to a tavern where he found the deceased, Sanele Sihlongonyane (40), seated at a table. Sihlongonyane was consuming drinks with friends. Thabethe and Sihlongonyane were known to each other.
There was a bucket on Sihlongonyane’s table and Thabethe walked over to the table, picked up the bucket and went outside. Since the bucket belonged to Sihlongonyane, he followed Thabethe outside. By that time Thabethe had placed the bucket inside his motor vehicle. Sihlongonyane, who was unarmed, approached Thabethe, asking for the return of the bucket. Thabethe then assaulted him with his fists and a scuffle broke out.
During the scuffle, Thabethe removed his SAPS issued firearm from his hip holster and fired a shot into the ground. Sihlongonyane asked him why he was shooting, and Thabethe fired another shot, this time shooting Sihlongonyane in the face. Thabethe got into his motor vehicle, fired a third shot into the air and drove off. The people who had witnessed the incident rushed Sihlongonyane to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Thabethe drove to the Ingwavuma Police station where he handed himself over together with his firearm and reported that he had shot someone at the tavern. The police then attended the scene and Thabethe was subsequently placed under arrest.
In court, Prosecutor Phumlani Thembalethu Khoza led the evidence of two eyewitnesses, as well as the pathologist who had conducted the post-mortem. A ballistic expert also testified and confirmed a ballistic match of Thabethe’s firearm to the spent cartridge found at the scene. Upon conviction, the state handed in a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) which was compiled by Thabethe’s aunt and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Sithembile Cebekhulu.
In her VIS, the aunt stated that she had taken care of Thabethe since his parents died when he was very young, and she considered him to be her biological son. She said that she is experiencing great difficulty in coming to terms with his death.
Thabethe was convicted and sentenced for murder in terms of Section 51 (2) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997, where the prescribed minimum sentence is 15 years imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The NPA welcomes the conviction and sentence. The accused in this matter was a police official and was therefore obligated to uphold the law and not transgress it. We hope that sentences of this nature will deter similar-minded individuals.
Issued by:
Natasha Ramkisson-Kara
NPA Regional Spokesperson
KZN Division