The Mpumalanga police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has welcomed a hefty sentence – imposed by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court, sitting in Middelburg – handed down to Tshegofatso Richmond Makofane (36), a murderer who targeted victims in the taxi industry.

Makofane was sentenced on Wednesday following a series of shooting incidents organised against people in the taxi business. The court heard how on the evening of March 11, 2021, at around 19:00, his first victim was a taxi owner who was driving in a Toyota Quantum, transporting staff from Pretoria.

It is said that starting from Eastlyn in Pretoria, his minibus was followed by another kombi in which he recognised the accused, the driver of the minibus at the time, known to him as ‘Morwa’.

It is said that at some stage, the accused was a taxi driver at Kwamhlanga.

When the victim approached his residence at Kwamhlanga, he saw the accused standing at the corner with another person.

It was during this time when the accused opened fire and shot at the victim who sustained some injuries. The victim was then taken to hospital for medical treatment.

The matter was reported to the police at Kwamhlanga where an attempted murder case was opened.

Another shooting

The accused was also involved in another shooting incident at Tweefontein on May 20, 2021, where two victims, one being the taxi owner and the other being member of a taxi association, were travelling in an Opel Corsa bakkie driven by the taxi owner.

It is said that as they drove towards the Miliva circle, the two realised that they were followed by a white Ford Fiesta but they realised that the driver of the vehicle was known to them as ‘Morwa’.

As the vehicle came closer, it drove parallel to theirs and at that moment, the armed occupants started firing shots at them. The victims in this incident sustained some injuries and were taken to hospital for medical treatment.

The police were notified and a case with two counts of attempted murder was opened and investigated.

Fatal incident

The court further heard that on June 5, 2021, at around 13:00 the accused was involved again in a deadly shooting of victims from the taxi industry.

On that fateful day, two brothers were at their parental home at Siyabuswa, sitting outside when a white Ford Fiesta emerged and its occupants started firing shots at them.

Moses Skhosana (38) was unfortunately killed while his brother sustained some injuries and was taken to hospital.

A case with a count of murder and attempted murder was opened, and Makofane was traced and arrested.

He was charged accordingly in relation to the outlined shooting incident. The state prepared a watertight case against him, and he was convicted and sentenced:

Sentencing

On a count of murder, the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition to this sentenced, the accused was given 10 years’ imprisonment for attempted murder.

Meanwhile on another count of attempted murder, the accused was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. On the third count of attempted murder, the accused was also sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The accused was acquitted for another count of attempted murder due to the fact that the victim did not show up in court to testify. On the count of possession of unlicensed firearm, the accused was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. For a count of possession of unlicensed ammunition, the accused was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

The accused was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Manamela further applauded the investigation and prosecution teams and the judiciary for their collaborative efforts which culminated into this sentence, which will ‘hopefully serve as a deterrence to other perpetrators of crime in the taxi industry’.