The  Pietermaritzburg High Court convicted and sentenced Phumlani Khumalo Zondi (38) to an effective of 30 years imprisonment after he confessed to the killing of two women in Dundee.

The first case was reported on  March 18  18.30 when the body of a Sizakele Phakathi (40), of Lindelani,  was found next to the footpath off Beaconsfield Street.  Her throat was cut off and her legs were tied up with black belt. It appeared as if she had not been raped.

The second was reported on September 16 when workers cutting grass found the body of Sihle Dolly Mnguni (30). She was found wearing only her panties and marks on her neck indicated that she may have been strangled before her body was dumped. She had also been raped.

Both these cases were opened at Dundee police station. An intensive investigation was started by Dundee detective members and they followed up information about the whereabouts of the accused. Within two days after the second case, detectives traced and arrested Zondi in the Avoca area where he was hiding in his grandmother’s house.

The security guard, who worked at Big Wheel Garage and lived in room on McKenzie Street, was charged and linked to both murder cases to which he confessed. He appeared in courts and bail was denied. It is alleged that he killed the women ‘because they were cheating.’

The KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bheki Langa welcomeed the heavy sentence handed down to the accused. “I commend the Dundee investigating team that gathered enough evidence that led to the conviction of the accused. His violent conduct is highly unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in our society. The sentence handed down to the accused will serve as a warning to other would-be criminals who are thinking of committing such crimes,” he said.