YOUTH SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR KILLING PENSIONER OVER BEER

05 November 2025

YOUTH SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR KILLING PENSIONER OVER BEER

The Willowvale Regional Court has sentenced 29-year-old Aviwe Dambile to life imprisonment for the murder of a 74-year-old man. The court found him guilty of premeditated murder, which stemmed from a quarrel over the distribution of traditional beer during a community ceremony in Madlutshana Village, Ngadla area, Willowvale district. Two weeks before the murder, which occurred on 28 June 2024, Dambile and the deceased attended a traditional housewarming ceremony where traditional beer was being served. During the ceremony, Dambile kicked over a bucket of beer that had been set aside for the elderly, protesting that young men were receiving less than their elders. He was expelled from the event and, in anger, singled out the deceased publicly, threatening to kill him in retaliation.

On the night of the murder, the deceased’s daughter, who works in Cape Town, had returned home and invited family members to her homestead for a drink. While the deceased and a friend were enjoying a bottle of brandy, Dambile arrived and again repeated his threats, which the elderly man ignored. After the gathering dispersed, Dambile followed the deceased and his friend. Moments later, the deceased’s grandson, who later became the State’s key witness, heard the old man screaming for help.

Using his cellphone torch, the witness found Dambile assaulting the deceased with his walking stick, which broke into pieces. Dambile then drew a knife and stabbed the elderly man multiple times. When the witness tried to intervene, Dambile advanced toward him, forcing him to flee for his safety. The witness alerted his family, and while reporting the incident, Dambile returned, declaring that he had “fulfilled his promise.” When asked where the body was, he directed them to nearby bushes, where they found the deceased’s body covered with his jacket. The police arrested Dambile the following day, finding him unbothered and going about his normal activities.

During the trial, Dambile pleaded guilty but claimed that he acted in self-defence, admitting that he exceeded the bounds of private defence. Regional Court Prosecutor Yandisa Mhaga rejected this explanation and led the evidence of the State witness as well as the post-mortem report, which revealed that the deceased had suffered a fractured skull and 21 stab wounds. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence, which delivers justice for the victim and sends a strong message that violence against the most vulnerable members of society will not be tolerated. Cases of this nature reaffirm the NPA’s commitment to ensuring justice and removing dangerous offenders from our communities.

Issued by:

Luxolo Tyali

Regional Spokesperson

Eastern Cape Division

National Prosecuting Authority

Tel: 047 501 2630

Email: ltyali@npa.gov.za