FillUpGiyaniStadium murder suspect sentenced to 16 years in prison
25-year-old Rifilwe Masondo was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment on Thursday, June 9 in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's High Court, for the murder of the then 25-year-old Hoxani Ngobeni who was stabbed to death in September 2018. The incident occurred during the #FillUpGiyaniStadium festival four years ago which was organised by the well-known Xitsonga artist, Benny Mayengane.
At the time the Greater Giyani Municipality (GGM) condemned social media reports that more than one person died at the event on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Herald reported at the time that it was alleged that more people died at the festival, one being a resident from Majeje, outside Phalaborwa. This rumour was denied by role players, but eyewitnesses suggested otherwise.
An eyewitness of another man who was allegedly killed said she witnessed men beat her friend up. “He didn’t do anything wrong, he was just passing near the gate where a fight was taking place and the people who were fighting thought he was part of it and decided to attack him as well,” she told the Herald.
Also read: #FillUpGiyaniStadium: “It was then that all hell broke loose”
Allegations on social media stated that about 12 people died during the festival, but the police denied the reports. It was alleged that one person was stabbed with a sharp object by an unknown suspect. Another source told the Herald at the time that they witness a man that died on the pitch. “I saw it with my own eyes. An ambulance entered and paramedics tried to resuscitate him. I saw how they put a blanket over him. They carried him to one side and barricaded the area around him.”
He said Benny Mayengani’s performance carried on and only about 45 minutes later did the pathology services enter the pitch and took the deceased away. According to him, it was then that “all hell broke loose”. “There were two barriers in front of the stage. The crowd just pushed forward and trampled both of the barriers to get closer to the stage. Fights broke out. I can’t tell you how many fights I saw, I lost count.”
