Major General Fred Kekana, the West Rand District Police commissioner, called a media briefing on Friday, 7 September to announce that the Kagiso serial killers, who took five lives, have been sentenced to 170 years each.
In May 2018 the bodies of four men were discovered in open fields near the R41 road. A fifth victim died in hospital after being attacked by the men.
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At the time people were watching their backs as the motive for the killings was not yet known to the police or to the public.
In all the cases the victims were approached by the three men – the 25-year-old Tshegofatso John Mathebula, the 27-year-old Luckyboy Lesego Nxasane and the 26-year-old Daniel Koketso Mabandla – while they were walking on or near the R41.
The men then overpowered their victim, tied his hands and sometimes his feet, and while one would hold down the victim, another stomped on his head and neck. After killing the victim, they robbed him of his possessions and left him in the field.
The killed their first victim, Lawrence Pheeloane on 13 May 2018. Their second victim was Simon Kelekegile Thlomedi, an off-duty security guard, whom they killed later that same day.
The next day, 14 May, they killed Nicholas Thale Tswagae, followed by Imani Mdala on 17 May.
Also on 17 May they failed to kill Reginald Musa immediately, and after stomping on his head and robbing him, they left him unconscious in the field. He later died in hospital.
Last came Luwelin Voster, who was the only one to escape these heartless men. He was attacked on 16 May. While walking home he was approached by the murderers, who were armed with knives. After being pulled to the side of the road he was made to lie on the ground.
After tying his hands, one of the men trampled on his head and he lost consciousness. He later opened a case of attempted robbery after the police had assured him that they had the perpetrators in custody.
A task team was put together and within three months the Kagiso Police had six suspects. They eventually positively linked these three to the killings.
In the South Gauteng High Court, Mabandla decided to plead guilty and turn state witness. He was then also charged with the murder and robbery of Lesley Lesang Pitso that was committed in August 2016. For the 2018 murders, Mabandla was sentenced to 35 years direct imprisonment on 27 August 2019.
The case of the other two was then postponed to 4 September 2019, where they also pleaded guilty to the other five murders and their associated crimes.
The men each received a sentence of 170 years – 100 years for the respective murders, 50 years for the respective robberies and 20 years for attempted murder and robbery. All the sentences are to run concurrently and they will both serve a prison sentence of 40 years direct imprisonment.
“By this sentence we send a message to the criminals. The police will do all they can to unearth criminals. There is no place to hide for criminals, especially because we work with our communities,” said Kekana.
He explained how the internal crime intelligence start with the communities, and how the structures within the communities were mobilised once these murders took place.
“Out of the good working relationship with our communities and structures, these are the results,” explained Kekana.
He went on to say that the team that worked on the case was one of the best on the West Rand and that criminals had no place on the West Rand.
“We will deal with them, and we will deal with them in the right way,” he said.
He said that they really appreciated not only the communities’ support, but also the team’s tireless work that ensured this conviction.
“Community, trust your law enforcement structure, work with them, ensure that you support and give information, don’t keep the criminal nature which you are aware of to yourself. Expose criminality, and you will get sentences like this. We will always be available to the community,” Kekana ended.
