Durban – Three men who killed an ANC branch executive member have been sentenced to life behind bars.
Felokwakhe Ndlovu, 53, Nkosiyanda Ndlovu, 30, and Nkosinathi Mbambo, 30, were convicted in the Durban High Court this week for the murder of Thulani Lawrence Nxumalo, who was shot dead outside his home in 2018.
He was the chairperson of the Branch Executive Committee of the ANC in KwaNdengezi.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Felokwakhe Ndlovu, who was an induna, was the mastermind behind the killing.
“There were allegations that Felokwakhe was selling plots for his benefit.
“When Nxumalo began investigating these allegations, Felokwakhe enlisted the assistance of his co-perpetrators and they hatched a plan to kill him,” said NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara.
“On the day of the incident, Nxumalo was returning home from a Branch Executive Committee meeting while the men waited for him nearby.
“As he approached his home, they shot him several times in his neck, chest, and head, and then fled.”
Kara said they were also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In a victim statement, Nxumalo’s wife described her husband as a good and kind person who served the community with pride and respect.
“She said that she was not coping well following the incident. At some stage she even abandoned her home and lived on the streets and in the wilderness, fearing that the gunmen would return to kill her.”
Felokwakhe Ndlovu and Mbambo were sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder, life imprisonment for murder, 15 years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm, and five years for unlawful possession of ammunition.
Nkosiyanda Ndlovu was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder, 20 years for murder, 10 years for unlawful possession of a firearm, and five years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition.
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