Durban — The ANC in the eThekwini region has welcomed the life imprisonment sentence for Siphamandla Ngcobo in connection with the murder of Bongekile Khema.
ANC regional spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize said they received a detailed briefing in relation to the life imprisonment sentence imposed on Ngcobo in the Durban High Court.
Ngcobo was sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder and murder, 10 years each for the two counts of attempted murder, 15 years for the unlawful possession of a firearm and three years for the unlawful possession of ammunition, resulting in the sentence of life and 38 years’ imprisonment. He will serve an effective term of life imprisonment.
National Prosecuting Authority KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Ngcobo shot and killed Khema in April 2019 in the Quarry Heights area of Durban. Khema was the secretary of the ANC branch executive committee in the Smiso Nkwanyana zone and the administrator and assistant to the ward councillor in ward 11. She also operated a tuck shop from her home.
There was conflict on how tenders were awarded in the ward, and Khema and the community complained to the ANC regional office, as well as members within the ANC, about this and other irregularities that were taking place and threatened to resign. On the day of the incident, she was speaking to some community members in her area, when Ngcobo and two accomplices went to the tuck shop under the pretext of wanting to buy something, Ramkisson-Kara said.
“She left the community members and went to the tuck shop and when she got there, Ngcobo shot her several times and she died at the scene. Her husband, who was inside the house, ran outside to assist her, but they shot at him too, causing him to run back inside. One of the shots struck a 7-year-old child who was playing nearby. The child was hit in the side of her chest and taken to the hospital and released a few days later. Ngcobo was arrested after cartridge cases found on the scene linked him to the crime and was identified during an identity parade,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
Mkhize said that although they understand that this will never permanently heal the wounds of Khema’s family, this sentence is a clear indication that the wheels of justice are grinding slowly but exceedingly fine.
“We recall that Cde Bongekile Khema was murdered in her tuck shop after addressing the community which she served selflessly. She was loved by the community because of her hard work. She effortlessly ensured that services needed by the community were delivered at all times, under the banner of the ANC.
“We welcome the sterling work of the investigation officers, the law enforcement agencies and the entire prosecution and justice system,” Mkhize said.
He said that the murderer could not have been convicted had a team of ballistic experts not been assigned to ensure the gathering of evidence and spot examinations of cartridges found on the scene. The evidence gathered linked the heartless murderer to this barbaric act.
Mkhize added: “We are encouraging police to continue to use sophisticated technology to conduct touch DNA and fingerprinting on firearms, dangerous weapons and other exhibits found at crime scenes.”
He said that crime was one of the biggest challenges South Africans were facing since the demise of apartheid. It dominated news bulletins on radio and television almost every day.
We read daily about horrific personal accounts and stories in letters to newspapers, capturing the frustrations of many people throughout the region. Many individuals in communities have bitter personal experiences or that of close friends, relatives or associates, Mkhize said.
“Crime is one of the challenges that we should not allow to make our claim to freedom ring hollow for the fear, waste of life and the loss of property that it inflicts on society.
“Fighting crime requires the same passion, intensity, creativity and unity as we demonstrated in the fight against apartheid,” Mkhize said.
Unity and partnership, solidarity and support should be the basis of our combined effort to defeat crime.
Daily News