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November 24, 2016 Uvolwethu Express
Tough sentences for tourist killers SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE THE Mthatha High Court, sitting in Port St Johns, last Wednesday sentenced four men to sentences ranging between 22 and 24 years’ imprisonment for the 2013 New Year’s Eve murder of Cape Town holidaymaker Robert Meek. Siyavuya Madikizela (21), Sifiso Mnyandu (23), Jongile Mcologwane (24) and Nceba Zobhula (23) were convicted on charges of murder, attempted robbery, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition. Madikizela, who pulled the trigger of the homemade firearm that killed Meek, was
sentenced to 24 years for murder, while Mnyandu, Mcologwane and Zobhula were sentenced to 22 years on the same charge, four years which were suspended for five years. All the convicted murderers were sentenced to 10 years for attempted robbery and two years for possession of a firearm and ammunition. The sentences for the latter three charges were ordered to run concurrently with the sentence for murder. This means Madikizela will effectively serve 20 years, while the others will serve 18 years. According to evidence presented in
court, late at night on 31 December 2013, the deceased and his family were celebrating New Year’s Eve at Mpande Camp in the district of Port St Johns. Armed with a homemade firearm, the four men, who were then aged between 18 and 21, accosted the deceased and his family, pointed the firearm at them and threatened to assault them with dangerous weapons they were carrying. They instructed the family to lie down and demanded money from them. In the process, they fired the shot that fatally wounded the deceased and they ran away without having succeeded in robbing the family.
During the trial, the four men pleaded not guilty, claiming that the homemade firearm was discharged by mistake and they did not have the intention of robbing the family, but senior State Advocate Sibusiso Nolutshungu managed to convince the court that they were guilty as charged. In sentencing them, the court took the men’s youthfulness and the fact that they had been in custody since their arrest in January 2014, into consideration. The National Prosecuting Authority, through its regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, welcomed the sentences, stating they would be an eye-opener for would-be criminals.
Expensive generator was stolen from IsingqiSethu festival SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE A 60kVA generator valued at R250 000 was stolen from the Port St Johns sports ground while the IsingqiSethu Wild Coast Festival was held there. It is suspected the generator was stolen between 4am and 6am on the second day of the event, Saturday, November 5, right under the noses of security guards. The generator was hired by Sound Fantastic to provide emergency back-up power for the sound system and lighting of Magnetic Storm. Dion Strydom of Sound Fantastic said the theft was a blow to the company. He lashed out at the security guards, questioning how a car could have been allowed access to the site and then to leave with the generator without it being checked. Strydom confirmed they had opened a case of theft at Port St Johns Police Station. Police spokesperson in Port St Johns Captain Nozuko Handile confirmed that and said an investigation was underway. Meanwhile, Magnetic Storm has written a letter to the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, highlighting why the Department should be held responsible for
the theft of the generator and facilitate the claim for the replacement of it to Sound Fantastic. The letter was addressed to Mike Sodo of the Department, who signed it. A copy of the letter is in the possession of the Express. Magnetic Storm chief executive officer Glenn van Eck said, “In the original quotation we proposed that we would have a health and safety officer on site and arrange the security ourselves. Nevertheless, the Department however decided to remove this responsibility from us and to allocate it to members of the local organising committee [LOC]. “We were informed that the LOC would take care of all security and safety for the event. Before our staff left the site a day before the incident, they spoke to the head of the security to ensure all was in place, and also checked the venues, which had marshals and two security guards on duty. There was also armed security patrolling.” In the letter, Glenn said the only way the generator could have been stolen was for a vehicle to drive to the site, hook it up, and then tow it away. He stressed that this could only have happened if gate security was either complicit in the theft and let the vehicle in and out, or
This was the type of generator that was stolen from IsingqiSethu Wild Coast Cultural Festival in Port St Johns. PHOTO:SUPPLIED were not at their post. Under such circumstances, the security company or their insurers should be held liable to pay for the replacement generator. Glenn said in this case they did not employ the security company, so they could not be held responsible for the loss of it.
Meanwhile, the Express tried to talk to Sodo from the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, who asked the reporter to email him questions. The reporter did as per his request, but there was no response to the email or a follow-up email from the Department.
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the various issues revolving around forestry and youth empowerment were raised. AS part of the on-going Imbizo Focus Week, “We are confident that as government, we Deputy Minister of the Department of Agri- will address these issues as a way of improculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Bheki Cele, ving the lives of our people.” engaged with community members at IngquCommunity members from various villaza Hill Local Municipality in Lusikisiki last ges raised challenges including the fencing Friday. of the forests, employment, Cele recognised the signifiand security on their procance of the forestry sector induce. terms of the role it can play in The Deputy Minister enjob creation and economic decouraged the youth to acvelopment, particularly in rutively participate in the agral areas with the theme, riculture and forestry pro‘Speaking to the people about isgrammes offered both by the sues that concern them’ . local government in its vari“The Imbizos give us an opous forms, as well as the Naportunity not only to create tional Department of Agriawareness on government pro- Bheki Cele. PHOTO: culture, Forestry and Fishgrammes, but also to ensure AYANDA MILLISA MADIKIZELA eries, in order to help create that our people have access to a vibrant economy. all essential services offered to them,” said “Youth are becoming more and more interCele. ested in agriculture and it is good to see that He said that he is happy to have interacted the industry is no longer for the elders to enwith the community of Ingquza Hill, where joy their pensions,” he added.