Former ANCYL secretary-general's killer gets hefty prison sentence
Ncengwa pleaded guilty under Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act on 6 June 2025, admitting to shooting Magaqa in uMzimkhulu on 13 July 2017.
He also confessed to attempting to kill Jabulile Msiya, Nonsikelelo Mafa, and Nceba Mazongolo, damaging vehicles and unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition.
In his admissions, Ncengwa outlined the events leading to Magaqa's murder and named his co-accused Sbonelo Myeza, Mlungisi Ncalane and Mbulelo Mpofana.
He also revealed the names of the alleged masterminds who planned the assassination.
During sentencing, Advocate Elvis Gcweka presented victim impact statements from Magaqa's brother and a KwaZulu-Natal ANC member.
Magaqa's brother described him as a community leader who had established a soccer team for local youth and was his family's breadwinner.
The ANC statement described Magaqa's death as a loss to the organisation.
The court sentenced Ncengwa to 25 years for conspiracy to commit murder and another 25 years for murder.
He also received five years' imprisonment for each of the three counts of attempted murder. Three years for each of the three counts of malicious injury to property.
For the firearm-related offences, the court sentenced him to five years for unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm.
Another five years for unlawful possession of a firearm, and one year for unlawful possession of ammunition.
The court ordered that these sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of 25 years.
KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions Adv Elaine Harrison welcomed the conviction and praised law enforcement partners, especially the Political Killings Task Team.
'We hope sentences like this deter like-minded individuals,' she said.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Political leaders raise questions over who knew about allegations against Senzo Mchunu
There has been mixed reaction to the question of whether President Cyril Ramaphosa might have been aware for some time of the allegations of political interference against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, made public on Sunday by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of obstructing critical investigations by dismantling the Political Killings Task Team. Mkhwanazi made explosive claims during a press briefing claiming that Mchunu ordered the unilateral disbandment of the team and transferred 121 politically sensitive dockets to Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya's office, where they have since been allegedly "neutralised". 'These actions constitute political interference of the highest order and are a direct threat to the rule of law…This kind of conduct undermines the entire South African Criminal Justice System,' Mkhwanazi said during the explosive briefing. Mkhwanazi highlighted communications between Mchunu and a businessman as a crucial piece of evidence. Despite Mchunu's parliamentary denial of knowing the businessman, Mkhwanazi asserts that a widely circulated social media phone recording contradicts this claim. This recording is considered one of the most damning pieces of evidence. Both Mchunu and Sibiya have denied the allegations. His allegations also implicate senior police officials in corruption and political interference which have since set-off calls for Ramaphosa to immediately investigate and get accountability at the highest levels of government. A party official from the GNU, who requested anonymity, said the Phala Phala saga was coming back to haunt Ramaphosa, because it was left unsolved. "It's really dangerous for us right now to assume that President Ramaphosa knew of this. But the person (Mchunu) who is accused here is the same person who was defending him during the Phala Phala scandal. So we can't take it away from anyone who would say Ramaphosa is involved in a cover-up," the official said. Another senior politician from the EFF said Ramaphosa was surrounding himself with allies that could succeed him to protect him from being prosecuted on the Phala Phala matter as soon as he leaves office in 2029. "If he (Ramaphosa) is not succeeded by someone who is in his corner then it could be his political enemy who would want him to be prosecuted, so he has to be involved in protecting his political ally (Mchunu)," the EFF source said. uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela claimed Ramaphosa knew of the accusations towards Mchunu and was planning to cover it up. "What is happening in this country pertaining to national security has gone far beyond a 'grave concern'. If Ramaphosa can cover up Phala Phala, would it not be surprising if he was involved in covering up Mchunu's alleged shenanigans?" Ndhlela asked. He said Ramaphosa had a tendency of covering-up high profile matters. 'We have written many times regarding political killings in KZN and Ramaphosa has since done nothing to curb that situation and now it has come to light that there is also a cover-up there,' he said. However, Build One SA (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane warned against jumping to conclusions before an investigation is launched. "I'm wary of us taking the way of the president having been involved in this new matter because this might limit his ability to act if we take it that way and we would then have to leave it to the Deputy President Paul Mashatile to make pronouncements," Maimane said. "I say we wait for the Special Investigation Unit's proclamation and give it 30 days for us to be able to move forward. However, Maimane added that if there were any truth that there are people who knew about the allegations Mkhwanazi brought forward, they should be put on special leave or suspended, regardless of who it was. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya did not respond to questions on whether Ramaphosa knew about the allegations. However on Sunday after Mkhwanazi's bombshell, the presidency noted the statements made by Mkhwanazi and said it is a matter of grave national security concern that is receiving the highest priority attention. President Ramaphosa will outline the actions to be taken on this matter on his return from the BRICS Leaders' Summit. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the party took these allegations in a serious light. "These allegations touch on the very integrity of the criminal justice system and the constitutional obligation of the state to protect South Africans. "We call upon president Cyril Ramaphosa to act with the urgency and seriousness this matter demands. The ANC reaffirms its commitment to give full protection to whistle-blowers, investigators and officers of the law," Mbalula said. Allegations made by Mkhwanazi have brought the work of the Political Killings Task Team into focus. This unit was established in 2018 in response to a surge in political assassinations within KZN. Its formation followed a directive from an Inter-Ministerial Committee, initiated after Ramaphosa's visit to the family of ANC activist Musawenkosi Qashana Mchunu, who was fatally shot in Plessislaer. Since its inception, the task team has investigated 612 cases, leading to 436 arrests and the recovery of 156 firearms. Of these, 55 firearms have been ballistically linked to politically motivated killings. Mkhwanazi also disclosed that 35 police officers were arrested for attempting to obstruct these investigations. [email protected]
The South African
6 hours ago
- The South African
Inmates scam the public from prison: Phones seized in surprise raid
Acting on intelligence about a scam operation run by inmates, National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale personally led a weekend raid at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre. Also, the surprise raid uncovered several mobile phones and other contraband, with officials discovering 'sophisticated hideout spots' used to conceal the devices inside prison cells. 'What is most alarming is that these illicit activities were carried out in broad daylight, raising serious concerns about lapses in vigilance and continuous monitoring by officials,' the department stated. Following the raid, authorities transferred all implicated inmates to the maximum-security unit (C-Max) at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre. A forensic analysis of the seized devices is also underway to assess the scam's full extent and aid further legal action. Furthermore, Thobakgale has demanded an urgent report from Baviaanspoort's management explaining how the scam could occur undetected. 'This glaring security breach has prompted the National Commissioner to demand a full report from the centre's management,' the department confirmed. The Department of Correctional Services has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on contraband and internal criminal activity. Additionally, ongoing raids aim to dismantle illicit operations within prisons and stop illegal items from entering facilities. 'While removing illegal items is a key focus, equal attention is being given to preventing their entry in the first place. Any official found to be complicit in smuggling will face the full might of the law, with no leniency afforded,' the department warned. Thobakgale has instructed the Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre to develop and submit a detailed plan to address the operational failings that enabled the incident. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
6 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Accusations of indecent exposure ‘lies' fabricated to shame him, Mbenenge tells tribunal
Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge says he preferred to refer to his advances towards court secretary Andiswa Mengo as 'sensual' and not sexual. He had been interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with her and was testing the waters. Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge tore into tribunal evidence leader, advocate Salomé Scheepers, on Monday, accusing her of bias. Mbenenge, who is facing charges of sexual harassment, said Scheepers was treating the tribunal as accusatorial and not inquisitorial and should have followed up on evidence proving his innocence. This particularly applied to 14 November 2022, the date court secretary Andiswa Mengo claims the judge president indecently exposed himself and made lewd suggestions to her in his office. Mbenenge said that security log books as well as his car tracking device would prove that he could not have been present at the time, yet Scheepers had failed to source this. CCTV footage of the court corridors of that specific day appeared to have gone 'missing' or had been edited, the tribunal heard previously. He told the tribunal earlier that being labelled 'barbaric, hateful and sexist' had been hurtful and that he regarded and valued women as highly as men. He has not denied making 'romantic overtures' towards Mengo and said these had been consensual. Mengo, on the other hand, had said the Judge President had pestered her with WhatsApp messages and would not take 'no' for an answer. 'Lower class' Advocate Muzi Sikhakane, Mbenenge's legal representative, dragged in the class card on Monday (having earlier dealt the race and culture cards), suggesting to his client that 'you are a judge and there is a theory that a person who is as old as you should never seek to have a relationship with a person of a lower [sic] class, age, status, category of work'. To this, Mbenenge replied that this was a notion that was 'hard to fathom, that notion that a judge cannot have affection, I just say affection, he may not be interested in somebody. I believe there's a fallacy when it comes to that. 'I don't believe a JP when it comes to engaging are confined to people of the same class,' he stated. Mbenenge said he has had to carry the stigma of the accusations for three years. 'I saw myself being treated like somebody who is presumed guilty until proven innocent. That has been the story of my life.' He told the tribunal that he was not Mengo's boss, as judges had no oversight of secretaries, who fell under the Office of the Chief Justice. He said he had appointed 'many females in my division. I have encouraged secretaries to study further, I have delivered lectures to aspirant women judges from the ranks of attorneys; these are some of the things I have done.' Mbenenge objected to the wording of the 'charge sheet' for the tribunal which had suggested 'gross incompetence' on his part, but that there had been no evidence of detail provided to him of what exactly this was. 'Sensuality' Mbenenge said he preferred to refer to his advances towards Mengo as 'sensual' and not sexual. He had become interested, he said, in pursuing a romantic relationship with Mengo and had been testing the waters. He said that 'no one under the sun is perfect' and that he was saying this knowing the tribunal was not about whether he was perfect. 'My imperfections became the subject of my thoughts on a daily basis. It resulted in being ostracised by some, people not reaching out to me, me trying to reach out to them. This dark cloud has been over me and I have had to make sure I soldier on.'
