The Mpumalanga High Court has sentenced convicted serial killer Julius Thabiso Mndawe (26) of Numbi Trust to five life terms in prison for five counts of premeditated murder and 25 years for five counts of defeating the ends of justice. He appeared in court on Thursday February 10.
Mndawe is convicted for murdering and burying Banele Khoza (15), Noxolo Mdluli (17), Tokie Tlaka (24), Nomthandazo Mdluli (19) and Felicia Ndlovu (17) between 2018 and 2019 in Numbi Village in Hazyview.
He was arrested in 2019 after he had confessed to killing these women. On Monday February 8, during the court proceedings, Mndawe was asked if he wished to say anything or apologise to the families. He exercised his right to remain silent through his legal representative.
This comes after he was found guilty of five counts of premeditated murder and five counts of defeating the ends of justice. He pleaded of guilty on Tuesday February 1.
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On the day of the judgement, acting judge Denise Greyling Coetzer said the murders had been premeditated. After the sentencing, the victims’ families were applauding out of pure joy.
Neste Sibiya, a family member of Banele, said Mndawe was so wicked that after he had killed Banele, he would visit the family to check how the search was going.
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“We are happy that we do not know what to do. The sentencing is suitable for him and this is exactly what we wanted.
This man would visit our home and pretend like he did not know what was happening, and worse, he would eat with us, knowing he had left our child buried in his yard,” she said.
