Durban – A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Bongekile Nandipha Khema, the secretary of the ANC branch executive committee (BEC) in the Smiso Nkwanyane zone.
In addition to murder charges, Siphamandla Enoch Ngcobo was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, in the Durban High Court this week.
Khema, of Quarry Heights, was killed in April 2019. She also owned a tuckshop.
In addition to her position of secretary she worked as an assistant to the councillor in ward 11.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority in KZN, there was conflict on how tenders were awarded in the ward.
“Khema and the community complained to the ANC regional office, as well as members within the ANC, about this and other irregularities taking place, and even threatened to resign,” said spokesperson Natasha Kara.
“On the day of the incident, she was speaking to some community members in her area, when Ngcobo and two accomplices went to the tuck shop under the pretext of wanting to buy something.
“Khema left the community members and went to the tuck shop and when she got there, Ngcobo shot her several times and she died at the scene.
“Her husband, who was inside the house, ran outside to assist her, but they shot at him too, causing him to run back inside.
“One of the shots struck a child, 7, who was playing nearby. The child was hit in the side of her chest and taken to hospital, and released a few days later.”
Ngcobo was arrested after cartridge cases found on the scene linked him to the crime and he was identified during an identity parade.
In a victim impact statement, Khema’s husband said his wife was a loving, caring and responsible person, who wanted to serve her community at all costs.
He said he suffered emotional and psychological trauma from the events of that day.
Ngcobo was sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder and murder, 10 years each for the two counts of attempted murder, 15 years for the unlawful possession of a firearm, and three years for the unlawful possession of ammunition.
Kara said he would serve an effective life term of imprisonment.
