Durban - A 24-year-old father of five has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for his part in the murder of a Newcastle metered taxi driver, who was stoned to death on May 21 last year.
Makhosonke Xaba pleaded guilty to the murder of Sibusiso Mazibuko, 20, as well as robbery with aggravating circumstances for stealing Mazibuko’s taxi.
In his plea before the Pietermaritzburg High Court, Xaba said that on the day of the murder he was at his home when Mazibuko and two others, identified as Sandile Sithole, 20, and Thato Ramuno, 22, came to visit.
They asked Xaba for money for fuel, because they wanted to drive to Glencoe.
Xaba managed to borrow R200 from a neighbour, and the four then got into Mazibuko’s taxi and drove to a petrol station where they filled fuel, and then proceeded to Glencoe.
Xaba said during the drive he fell asleep and when he awoke Sithole was driving the taxi and he realised that they had already passed Glencoe.
“An argument between Sithole and Mazibuko broke out. Sithole accused Mazibuko of stealing his car to sell it. The argument stopped after Mazi-buko apologised and Sithole continued to drive towards Estcourt,” Xaba said.
At Colenso, Sithole stopped the car and they all got out. Sithole then took an iron rod which he found in the car and hit Mazibuko over the head. Xaba said he and Ramuno also hit Mazibuko with clenched fists. They dragged Mazibuko back into the back of the taxi and drove towards Estcourt where they all alighted the vehicle again, and started to assault Mazibuko.
“He fell down and we all picked up stones and hit him while he was laying on the ground. He stopped moving and we fled in his taxi,” Xaba said.
The next day, as the three were travelling along the main road in Estcourt, they were stopped by police and questioned about Mazibuko’s death.
Xaba immediately confessed to his role in the murder.
Post-mortem reports indicated that Mazibuko died of a fractured skull and brain haemorrhage.
Sentencing Xaba, Judge Phillip Nkosi said Mazibuko’s murder was senseless.
“You did not have to kill him to rob him, but it is evident that you all decided to finish him off to avoid detection,” the judge said.
Judge Nkosi described the actions of Xaba and his two co-accused as “horrible, serious and prevalent”.
“This cannot be tolerated in a civilised society. You showed total disregard for the sanctity of human life and deserve a heavy sentence,” he said.
However, the court found that there were factors that weighed in Xaba’s favour, including that he was a first offender and was capable of rehabilitation, being relatively young.
Xaba was sentenced to 16 years for the murder, plus 10 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Sithole and Ramuno are awaiting trial.
Daily News