The Middelburg High Court has convicted eight men for the brutal murders of Musa Nene and Sifiso Thwala, who were killed on a farm in Pampoenkraal, Piet Retief, in 2020. The men had accused the victims of stealing livestock.

Zenzele Mzikayise Yende (48), Werner Potgieter (48), Moses Dlamini (59), Masodeni Elliot Msongelwa Dlamini (61), Cornelius Lourens Greyling (26), Sikhumbuzo Zikalala Nhlabathi (25), Mzwakhe Dlamini (48), and Nkosinathi Msibi (26) also faced kidnapping charges, and the attempted murder charge of Sthembiso Thwala.

It is said that on August 9, 2020, the three victims were passing by the farm located in Pampoenkraal when they were apprehended by some of the accused, who were guarding the sheep, after they were suspected of being thieves.

What unfolded after that was a series of severe beatings throughout the night using different objects to torture the victims. Sifiso and Musa succumbed to their injuries on the scene the following day.

Some of the sheep guards turned state witnesses and told the court of the horror that the victims were subjected to that fateful night. One witness testified that they had been instructed to place two sheep in the victims’ vehicle to stage a fabricated livestock theft.

The convicted included farmers, farm managers, and sheep guards.

Three of the eight accused were acquitted on the charge of defeating the ends of justice.

• The eight men will hear their fate during sentencing, which was postponed to take place between April 7 and 9 next year, at the Mpumalanga High Court sitting in Breyten.