Hefty sentences for two Mpumalanga gang members
The duo were sentenced for the murder of six people in Bushbuckridge, among other charges.
Two gang members, Sikhumbuzo Shaun Mpangane (36) and Bonginkosi Shakoane (24), have altogether received nine life sentences and an additional 60 years’ imprisonment.
The sentence was handed down by the Mpumalanga Division of High Court in Mbombela on Friday July 12.
According to the Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Captain Magonseni Nkosi, the Mpumalanga SAPS Anti-gang Unit successfully connected the convicts to multiple murder cases.
Nkosi said the two had murdered six people in Bushbuckridge. He did not name the victims to respect the privacy of their families.
“Mpangane, a defected member of the ‘Ellesse Gang’, formed his gang known as ‘Covid-19’. He then recruited Shakoane and other members to the group. Mpangane shot and killed his first victim who was a rival gang member while another victim managed to escape during the attack. This was two days after he had been released from prison on parole in 2020 after being convicted for the possession of an unlicensed firearm,” Nkosi said.
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“In 2021, Mpangane and Shakoane shot and killed four members of a local family in Madras, Bushbuckridge while they were sleeping. These victims were the family of the victim who survived an attack on December 16, 2020. It was heard in court that the escaped victim was also from a rival gang and is convicted and currently serving a life term for a murder,” Nkosi said.
He said the duo killed their last victim and set a house alight in Bushbuckridge, which eventually led to their arrests. Mpangane was arrested on June 20, 2021, while Shakoane was apprehended on February 11, 2022.
Mpangane received five life sentences for five counts of murder, 20 years for two counts of attempted murder, seven years for the possession of an unlicensed firearm, five years for kidnapping, five years for housebreaking with the intent to commit murder and five years for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
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Shakoane received four life sentences for four counts of murder, ten years for attempted murder, five years for kidnapping, and three years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Both convicts were further declared unfit to possess firearms.
