The career hitman who killed Sibusiso Sithole, the former municipal manager of the Richmond local municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, has been sentenced to life behind bars.
The Durban High Court sentenced Sabelo Phewa to life in prison on Tuesday following a lengthy trial that began after his arrest by the political killings task team.
Unlike Sbusiso Ncengwa, the killer of Sindiso Magaqa, the former secretary-general of the ANC Youth League, Ncengwa has not named the person who sent him to kill the astute Sithole.
Sithole was shot dead in the Richmond town centre in March 2017 after he left behind his bodyguards and went to the licensing department.
He intended to come back to a council meeting.
At the meeting, Sithole was supposed to discuss issues of corruption he was investigating, including fraud and corruption involving tenders and kickbacks in the municipality.
The SA Police Service (SAPS) political killings task team took over the investigations in 2018, leading to the arrest of Sabelo Phewa.
Firearm linked to other murders
Numerous other murders, including the one of Amos Ngcobo, whose wife had ordered his hit, were connected to the firearm that was discovered in Phewa’s possession when he was arrested.
In addition, the Durban High Court sentenced Phewa to five years in prison for trying to kill the police officers who had come to arrest him and to life in prison for killing Ngcobo.
The national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, who at the time of sentencing was testifying at the Madlanga commission, hailed the task team for cracking the case.
“Well done to the SAPS political killings task team for cracking this case and ensuring a lengthy conviction for the hitman,” Masemola said.
“Through this case, we were able to link and solve other cases, such as the murder of Amos Ngcobo.
“The number of life sentences secured by the task team is now more than 30 life sentences secured for several hitmen and hit orderers. Well done, and may you continue to provide answers and closure to other families.”
Political killings task team praised
Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, praised Phewa’s life sentence as well, stating that Sithole’s passing shocked the local government sector and highlighted the risks faced by public servants dedicated to moral governance.
The Sithole family and the ANC have not yet responded to the historic conviction.
