Durban - Three men, one of them a farm worker, have been convicted and sentenced to 40 years imprisonment of the murder of an oThongathi farmer's wife, attempted murder of the farmer, possession of unlicensed firearms and two counts of robbery.
One of the three men, Odwa Zide, said he was employed by the couple as a gardener and knew his way around the farm.
Virathapusharana Govender, 71 was found dead at their farmhouse by neighbours, while her husband Steve Govender, 71, was found unconscious in a pool of blood.
Zide, along with his co-accused, Nkosinathi Ngcobo, and Simangaliso Michael Mayela pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearm, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Magistrate Anand Maharaj handed the men 40-year sentences each at the Durban Regional Court on Thursday.
They each received 25 years for murder, 10 years for robbery, five years for attempted murder and three years for possession of illegal firearms.
They said they accosted the couple and looted the couple's home of bangles, earrings worth R10 0000, cellphones, firearms, and cash of R10 000, which they shared equally and the jewellery.
The couple's family were in court and were overcome with emotion when the men's plea statement was read in court.
They told the court that they had planned the robbery and since Zide knew the farm because he had worked there, he is the one who entered the property first by
jumping over the electric fence.