On 27 January 2015, Ixopo Magistrates’ Court convicted and sentenced Sonwabile Zondi (31) to 30 years imprisonment for murder of his 60-year-old mother and arson which happened at Dumisa location in Umzimkhulu. On 28 November 2012, Sonwabile attacked his mother while she was asleep and strangled her to death. A 93-year-old grandmother managed to escaped unharmed. He set the house alight while his mother’s body was inside and fled the scene.

Umzimkhulu Police Station members were alerted, upon their arrival they found  a burnt house and the body which was burnt beyond recognition. A case of murder and arson was opened. Members worked tirelessly until he was traced down and arrested on 19 December 2012. All the necessary evidence was carefully collected. He attended the court several times before he was convicted and sentenced.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended Umzimkhulu Police Station Members for the hard work of thoroughly investigating this gruesome murder. “The sentence given to Sonwabile shows that our police members left no stone unturned in making sure that this heartless Sonwabile rot in jail,” she said.  – (SAPS)