The matter of S v Zandile Gumede and 21 others, (including persons and companies) will return to the Durban High Court next week, on 18 July 2022, where the trial is set to begin. The accused in this matter, are an array of eThekwini Municipality officials (current and past), ward councillors, business people and their companies.
The Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court, sentenced a 29-year-old man (Mr X), from Saulsville in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, to twenty-two years of direct imprisonment, for two counts of rape of a 12-year-old minor. The court ordered that his name be written in the National Register for Sexual Offenders and declared him unfit to possess a firearm. This is after he was convicted, by Magistrate Allen Cowan, on 25 May 2022.
The trial against the men charged with the murder of Sindiso Magaqa, amongst other offences, is set to begin in the Pietermaritzburg High Court next week. Sbonelo Myeza, Mbulelo Mpofana, Mlungisi Ncalane and Sibusiso Ncengwa, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, attempted murder, malicious injury to property and charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, one being a prohibited firearm.
On Tuesday, Pietermaritzburg High Court sentenced Thembelani Headman Dlamini (44), to life and 40 years imprisonment, for the offences of murder, attempted murder, extortion, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Dlamini is an ex-policeman, who had worked under the crime intelligence unit, before becoming a taxi owner. In 2019, Dlamini was with a friend, when they were shot at, while he survived the attack, his friend was killed.
The High Court of South Africa: Eastern Cape Division, sitting in Bhisho, sentenced Siyanda Madlebe (47), to life imprisonment for repeatedly raping a nine-year-old girl on numerous occasions. The court also ordered that his name be included in the National Register of Sexual Offenders. Madlebe was the boyfriend of the victim’s grandmother, and they stayed together at Gxulu Location, in the district of Keiskammahoek in the year 2018 and 2019.
The Ntuzuma Regional Court sentenced Nkosinathi Hlongwane (28) and Nkosinathi Njabulo Khumalo (25), to two terms of life imprisonment for the murders they committed in February 2020, in the KwaMashu area. Hlongwane was sentenced to a further 10 years imprisonment, for having an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. On the day of the incident, the deceased persons, Mjabuliseni Mpungose (43) and Sabelo Joseph Mpungose(56) were seated outside the KwaMashu men’s hostel, when Hlongwane and Khumalo opened fire on them.
The case of fraud against Marius Louw, who at the time of the commissioning of the offence, was the Executive Mayor of Z.F Mcgawu District Municipality, and his wife Gertrude Louw, has been adjourned to 30 August 2022, by the Upington District Court. The husband and wife, are facing two charges of fraud emanating from purchasing two vehicles, through fraudulent means by utilising fictitious documents.
Two Nigerian nationals, Olatunji Samson Abdul and Adedayo Quandri, were sentenced to eight years and seven years imprisonment respectively by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in Palm Ridge. Both men pleaded guilty and were convicted on 24 counts of theft, related to cloning the email addresses of conveyancers, DM5 and Yaron Waks.
The Lichtenburg Magistrates’ Court postponed the case against Tshepiso Lucas Leeto(23), to 14 July 2022, for a formal bail application and Legal Aid South Africa will represent him. Police reports reveal that Leeto, was arrested on Wednesday, 6 July 2022, for the alleged murder of his 2-year-old nephew, Neo Refemetswe Tlhame, whose lifeless body was found in a shallow grave at Extension 3, Blydeville outside Lichtenburg, on Tuesday, 5 July 2022. Police interrogation linked him to the murder and he was subsequently arrested and charged.