Durban — The family of a slain Ixopo taxi boss said they were grateful that the killers of Mkhali Christopher Madondo have been sentenced to life imprisonment and 47 years in jail.
The hit men, Langelihle James Bailey, Phumlani Agrip Siyaya, Bonisile Lili, Bhekisisa Mhlongo, Sehliselo Hezekia Dladla, Mandla Jeremia Masango and Njabulo Siyathokoza Cele, were sentenced by the Durban High Court on Tuesday on charges of murder, five counts of attempted murder, malicious damage to property and defeating the administration of justice.
Madondo was shot and killed by these men at Brook Street taxi rank in Durban in April 2018. The men were working for Mvimbeni Security Holdings to protect the Ixopo Taxi Association members.
On the day, Madondo was with his brother Thulani Wiseman Madondo in a taxi when they were attacked by the seven men. Thulani sustained gunshot wounds to his right arm and abdomen.
Despite this, he was able to run for his life, but he collapsed on the road and was found by a police officer, who called an ambulance.
Madondo’s widow, Nomusa Madondo, said she was grateful the case had gone this far and they had found closure as a family. However, she said she was still not happy that the instigators behind the killing of her husband had not been arrested, as she knew they were still out there.
“It’s been a long journey. We have been attending this case since 2018. We have been hoping the instigators would be found. The people who are behind bars were sent to do the work.”
Nomusa added that she did not understand how others were acquitted on this matter. Initially, there were 10 accused and three were acquitted.
She said some taxis of her husband still worked at the rank but things were not so good. She described Madondo as a wise leader and said he had provided wisdom to the association.
When the court sentenced these men, it said it was not disputed that they committed the crime wearing the uniform of Mvimbeni Security Holdings and were on duty.
“Crimes were committed in full view of the public in a taxi rank. Thirty-five spent cartridges were linked to the firearms of the accused,” said Judge Professor Mbuzeni Johnson Mathenjwa.
Furthermore, when these men were arrested on the day they killed Madondo they shot at police officers. The court said incidents of officers being shot by criminals were on the rise in the country.
“If this continues unabated citizens would be at risk,” said the judge.
The State said in 2015 members of the Ixopo Taxi Association felt they needed protection services as a result of the violence relating to strife over taxi routes which was ongoing at the time. They concluded an agreement with Mvimbeni Security Holdings. The members of this association had to pay R2 000 per taxi travelling to Ixopo and back to Durban to the security company.
“Sometime in 2017 Madondo and other members indicated to the security company they wished the said contract to be terminated as they felt there was no need for any protection services,” said the State.
It aid Madondo was no longer paying the protection fee and the accused were aggrieved by this, and to convey to others who might wish to terminate their services that they would not tolerate the cancellation of other contracts, they decided to kill Madondo.
On the day Madondo was killed, the accused saw that Madondo’s taxis were loading passengers at the taxi rank, they armed themselves and went to look for the Madondo brothers.
State senior prosecutor, advocate Elvis Gcweka, urged the court to not deviate from sentences as they had no compelling circumstances.
The defence counsel, advocate Simphiwe Mlotshwa, had told the court his clients had no previous convictions. The court ruled that the sentences would run concurrently.
Mlotshwa told the court he had received instructions from his clients to apply for leave to appeal.
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