KZN father sentenced to 25 years for taxi driver’s murder
The Pietermaritzburg High Court sentenced Siyanda Mfundo Mahlambi (23) to 25 years in jail for his part in the murder near Newcastle of 48-year-old meter taxi driver, Sihle Ismael Malembe, on February 6.
According to a national news publication, he also received an additional 15 years for robbery after he stole the deceased vehicle.
Mahlambi admitted to Malembe’s murder and stated that the events that unfolded on that fateful day were to help pay for his two-year-old daughter’s birthday party. His full confession was presented to the court by his legal aid advocate, Amanda Hulley.
Acting Judge AJ Mathenjwa delivered the sentence in June, noting that Mahlambi was a first time offender and showed remorse for what he had done.
Mahlambi and his friend (not named as yet) met up at a tuck shop in Dannhauser on the day of the murder and plotted a plan to make quick cash. The friend mentioned that they needed to steal a vehicle because he knew of someone who would buy it from them.
The plan was to pose as passengers and then hijack the vehicle as soon as they were out of sight. From there, they proceeded to a local tavern, where they enjoyed a couple of drinks before making their way to a local shopping centre to find their victim.
This is when they spotted Malembe sitting in his meter taxi. Mahlambi and his friend approached Malembe and asked him if he would take them to Madadeni, which he agreed to do for a fee of R200.
Once on the road, Mahlambi’s friend asked Malembe to pull over on a gravel road so that he could urinate. However, once the vehicle came to a halt, the friend proceeded to try and strangle Malembe with a shoelace.
Malembe allegedly tried to fight back, resulting in his death.
The two friends put his lifeless body in the boot of the car and fled from the scene and drove to a river near Boschwell Farm in Osizweni, where they disposed of the body.
The two then went to Rooi Poort Farm (Dannhauser), where they picked up a third person, who allegedly had a buyer for the stolen vehicle in Dundee.
As the trio entered Dundee, they were spotted by local police, who pulled them over and spotted blood in the car.
Mahlambi immediately confessed to the murder and proceeded to point out to the police where they had disposed of Malembe’s body.
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