Overview

• A high court sentenced Sabelo Phewa to life for the murders of Sibusiso Sithole and Amos Ngcobo, plus 15 years for an unlicensed firearm, five years for unlawful ammunition possession, and five years for attempted murder of police officers.
• Phewa was convicted in July on five counts, including the attempted murder of Lucky Bongani Ngema and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
• Ballistics linked a gun seized at Phewa’s arrest to several murders, including Ngcobo’s killing, and Ngcobo’s wife turned state witness after ordering the hit and received a five-year term.
• Victim impact statements detailed severe psychological, health, and financial harm to Sithole’s family, with his widow calling Phewa a danger to society.
• Sithole’s relatives welcomed the outcome but urged authorities to find who commissioned the hit and explain the motive, while Phewa continued to assert his innocence.