One of alleged hitmen in Sindiso Magaqa murder pleads guilty

One of the alleged hitmen in the assassination of former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa in July 2017 has pleaded guilty to all charges against him.

Sibusiso Ncengwa, who is already serving 95 years in prison for a string of armed robbery convictions, is expected to be sentenced for Magaqa's murder in the Pietermaritzburg high court on June 30.

Ncengwa made a guilty plea in court on Friday. He and three co-accused — Sbonelo Myeza, Mbulelo Mpofana and Mlungisi Ncalane — are charged with conspiracy to murder, murder, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and malicious damage to property.

However, Ncalane has been declared unfit to stand trial after two psychiatric reports revealed he was mentally ill. He is now a patient at Napier Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

The suspects were arrested in 2017 for the killing of Magaqa. It is alleged that Magaqa was killed because he had a dossier containing alleged corruption regarding the upgrade of a community hall in Mzimkhulu on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.

It is also alleged that millions of rand were pumped into the accounts of appointed service providers but no upgrade was done on the hall.

The late ANC leader in Harry Gwala district, Mluleki Ndobe, who was a mayor, and municipal manager Zwelibanzi Sikhosana, were also arrested in connection with Magaqa's murder but their charges were later withdrawn. Ndobe committed suicide in 2020.

In his guilty plea, Ncengwa said: “I confirm that I am the accused herein and that I know and understand the charges preferred against me, which are appearing on the indictment. My legal representative has explained to me the consequences of making this statement and I fully understand it.”

Ncengwa said he freely, voluntarily and without being influenced pleaded guilty to the charges against him, adding that he made admissions to the charges “in sound and sober senses”.

Ncengwa said Magaqa was shot with an AK47 rifle by his late co-accused, Jabulani Mdunge. Mdunge died in a shoot-out with police during a foiled cash-in-transit heist in September 2017.

Ncengwa said he received information from Mpofana, the facilitator who also recruited hitmen, that Ndobe and Sikhosana wanted Magaqa to be killed. During the attack, Ncengwa fired shots in the air to intimidate people who were at the car wash where Magaqa was attacked.

After Magaqa was shot by Mdunge, Ncengwa said Mpofana called Sikhosana informing him that the job was done, he said in his guilty plea.

Ncengwa said they were paid R120,000 in cash for the murder. Ncengwa said in his guilty plea that Sikhosana came with the money.

“We split the money and we all received R20,000 as there were six people who were supposed to be paid,” Ncengwa said.

He said there was also a further R500,000 which was paid by Sikhosana, which was used for the ongoing legal costs. Ncengwa added that they were also promised a R1m tender for the hit on Magaqa.

The trial of the other co-accused will take place in August.

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