DURBAN: On 21 September 2021, the Pietermaritzburg High Court sentenced Bafana Makhonza (45) to life imprisonment for murder and 10 years in jail for attempted murder. His sentence came after a well prepared docket was presented at court by the Mountain Rise Detective official.

On 01 October 2016 at 20:00, a 36-year-old woman was with a companion, Sizwe Matsienyane (25) in her rented room in Cinderella Park, Section A in Pietermaritzburg. Two men kicked the door open and fired shots at both victims. The woman pleaded to the known accused not to kill them but they were shot multiple times.

They also robbed the woman of her cellphone before fleeing the scene. Both victims were rushed to hospital where Matsienyane died on arrival. The woman survived and recovered well in hospital. Charges of murder and attempted murder were opened for investigation by Mountain Rise SAPS. The detective assigned to investigate the docket commenced his investigation.

During 2017, Sipho Cyprian Makhonza (38) was arrested and charged. He was tried in court and was sentenced on 17 March 2017 in the Pietermaritzburg High Court. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 for robbery and five years for attempted murder. It was established that the accused was the cousin of the victim’s ex-boyfriend. Later on, further investigation led to the arrest of Thulani Dladla (37) who was arrested during February 2020. He was arrested while he was awaiting trial in another case committed in Camperdown. The accused was also tried in court. He was sentenced on 25 March 2020 to 25 years for murder.

Further investigation led to the arrest of the third accused. Bafana Makhonza (45) was arrested in July last year. During the course of the investigation it was established that Bafana was the one who orchestrated the murder. The investigation revealed that the accused is the ex-boyfriend of the surviving victim.

Source: South African Police Service