LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDERERS

03 SEPTEMBER 2025

LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDERERS

The Dundee Regional Court sentenced Mzwandile Ndebele (35) and Sfundo Ximba (27) to a term of life imprisonment. In July 2022, they murdered 30-year-old Simphiwe Mfanile Sithole in the Pomeroy area. The men (Ndebele and Ximba) were related to Sithole, who was a builder. Sithole was conducting building work on a house in the area when they attacked him. They accused him of stealing some things belonging to Ndebele. They assaulted Sithole all over his body. Ndebele used a piece of barbed wire, and Ximba used a knife. Ndebele was arrested at the scene of the crime when police arrived, and Ximba was arrested a week later.

In the state’s case, Prosecutor Sibonelo Mncadi led the testimony of eyewitnesses who were present at the time of the offence. The postmortem report was also handed in to the court. In aggravation of sentence, Mr. Mncadi handed in a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) compiled by Sithole’s brother and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Victoria Griffiths. In his statement, the brother said that Sithole was the breadwinner in their home, and he had used his talent as a builder to support them. Since his death, they often go to bed hungry, and their lives have changed for the worse. Ndebele and Ximba were sentenced accordingly and were declared unfit to possess a firearm.

As the NPA, we hope that sentences of this nature serve as a deterrent to like-minded individuals. Together with our partners in law enforcement, we will pursue justice on behalf of the victims of crime and their families.

Issued by:

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara

NPA Regional Spokesperson

KZN Division

0716700229