Two men sentenced to life imprisonment for killing three relatives during traditional cleansing ritual in KZN - IOL

Bonokwakhe Mbhele and Lungelo Madonsela were each sentenced to life imprisonment by the Scottburgh Regional Court for the murder of three family members in Pennington, KwaZulu-Natal, in July 2022.

Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of three family members who were gunned down during a traditional cleansing ceremony attended by approximately 50 people in Pennington, on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

The Scottburgh Regional Court handed down the sentences to Bonokwakhe Mbhele and Lungelo Madonsela following their conviction for the triple murder committed in the KwaMgayi area on July 17, 2022.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the victims were among relatives and neighbours gathered at a family home to perform a traditional cleansing ritual following a funeral held the previous day.

The gathering turned deadly when a group of approximately 10 armed men arrived at the property and opened fire, killing three men from the same family.

KwaZulu-Natal NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said evidence presented during the trial established that approximately 50 people were gathered in the yard when the attackers arrived.

"A group of approximately 10 men, including Mbhele and Madonsela, arrived in a minibus and approached the home.

"The group, armed with guns, opened fire on the people gathered in the yard, fatally shooting three men from the same family."

Following the shooting, the attackers fled on foot, abandoning the minibus at the scene.

The incident was reported to police, and investigations subsequently led to the arrest of Mbhele and Madonsela several months later.

During the trial, State advocates Zukiswa Dyasi and Lungile Zondi presented evidence linking the two men to the murders.

The prosecution relied on testimony from eyewitnesses who knew the accused, together with cellphone evidence placing them at the scene of the shooting.

The evidence formed a central part of the State's case and ultimately resulted in the conviction of both men.

In aggravation of sentence, the prosecution called the investigating officer to testify about the impact of the murders on the KwaMgayi community.

According to the NPA, the officer told the court that residents were deeply disturbed by the killings and had closely followed the proceedings.

He further argued that an appropriate sentence would send a strong warning to other potential offenders.

The Scottburgh Regional Court sentenced Mbhele and Madonsela to an effective term of life imprisonment each on Friday.

Both men were also declared unfit to possess firearms.

The NPA welcomed the conviction and sentencing, saying the outcome reinforced the prosecuting authority's commitment to ensuring accountability for violent crimes.

"This outcome demonstrates the NPA's commitment to holding perpetrators of violent crime accountable and ensuring that those who terrorise communities face the full consequences of the law," Ramkisson-Kara said.

The authority further emphasised that communities had a constitutional right to live without fear of violence.

"Communities have a constitutional right to live in freedom and security, and the NPA will continue to prosecute serious and violent crime without fear, favour, or prejudice."