Local police and investigators achieve a significant breakthrough in the murder case of Shane Ganesh, leading to the arrest of two suspects linked to the crime.
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The family of Rakeshchand Shane Ganesh, a landlord from the Morningside area in Durban who was murdered by tenants, have expressed appreciation for the work done by police in securing the conviction of the two accused responsible for his death.
Swift action by Sergeant Carl Harishun and the investigative team he led from the Durban North branch of the South African Police Service resulted in the rapid arrest of the accused in the matter — 25-year-old Sihle Zondi and 29-year-old Hloniphani Mzila.
Zondi and Mzila were convicted on murder and robbery-related charges at the Durban High Court on Friday, marking a bittersweet moment for Ganesh’s loved ones, who continue to seek solace following his death.
Tony Singh, Ganesh’s uncle, shared his family’s anguish over the killing and said they were satisfied with the outcome of court proceedings as well as the work done by the police officers involved in the investigation.
Ganesh, 45, was living rent-free at a property on Ridge Road owned by his cousin, Mandy Kunigan. Mzila also resided at the Ridge Road premises. Zuzeka Mbanjwa, who shares a child with Mzila, also lived on the property with Ganesh. They were allowed to stay there on the condition that they maintained the premises.
Conflict arose when Ganesh demanded R750 as a rental payment from one of the occupants.
Ganesh was killed in November 2024 after Mzila and Zondi accosted him in his room, where they bound and assaulted him. His death resulted from being strangled with a belt.
Zondi and Mzila fled the scene in Ganesh’s Mercedes-Benz vehicle, along with his cellphone and laptop.
Their freedom was short-lived, as they were apprehended the following day after the investigative team pursued leads and located Ganesh’s vehicle in Pietermaritzburg.
The team was later directed to a location in the Efaya area of Dalton, near Greytown, by one of the accused. It was there that Ganesh’s stolen laptop was recovered.
The evidence gathered by Sergeant Harishun and his investigators proved crucial, with the prosecution relying heavily on circumstantial evidence collected during the investigation to support its case in court.
During the proceedings, the recovered items provided indisputable links between the accused and the deceased.
In the ruling delivered by Judge Mahendra Chetty, the court acknowledged the prosecution’s reliance on circumstantial evidence.
While the legal representatives of the accused attempted to establish alibis — asserting that Mzila had been with family gathering herbs and that Zondi had been attending to livestock — Judge Chetty deemed their testimonies unconvincing, indicating that the explanations were fabricated as they did not present witnesses to corroborate their assertions.
He said Zondi and Mzila’s evasive responses during cross-examination only strengthened the prosecution’s case, which resulted in the court concluding that they were guilty of both murder and robbery.
Singh said: “He (Ganesh) never deserved to die in such a brutal manner. Over and above killing him and then concealing his body, they further stole his car and other personal items.”
Singh called for both accused to receive life sentences.
“It’s sad to know the society we live in,” he said.
He added that he and his family remembered Ganesh as a compassionate individual who always lent an ear to others and was devoted to his family.
Judge Chetty is expected to deliver sentencing in the matter later this week.
DAILY NEWS