A woman whose daughter was one of the 18 people shot dead in Lusikisiki, took the stand in the Mthatha high court on Wednesday, her eyes brimming with tears as she recounted the tragic events of September 28 2024.
She described hearing gunshots and her 21-year-old daughter, Ruth King, screaming: “Mama, Mama, Mama”, as gunmen opened fire in another room of the same house in Ngobozana village.
Unable to rescue her daughter, Jane King could only pray as the screams eventually fell silent.
King was testifying before judge Richard Brooks in the Mthatha high court sitting in Lusikisiki.
Eighteen people — mostly extended family and friends — were killed in two village homesteads belonging to sisters Mary Sinqina and Nancy Sinqina-Matu.
The gathering was to prepare for a traditional ceremony marking the end of mourning for their sister, Nomnikelo Sinqina, 61, and niece Zinzi Sinqina-Jawuse, 31, who were killed in August 2023.
The victims ranged in age from 13 to 64.The six accused — Mzukisi Ndamase, Aphiwe “AP” Ndende, 25, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, Bonga “Rico” Hintsa, 31, Songezo “Mashiya” Vuma, 20, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36 — face 29 charges.
These include 19 counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Ndende was out on bail on a murder charge when arrested and had absconded.He was later sentenced in July 2025 to five years for culpable homicide after killing a friend during a tavern fight in 2022.
Myekethe was on parole after serving more than 21 years of a life sentence for the murder of a police officer.
Fourteen people, including Ruth, were killed in Mary’s homestead, while four people — Nancy, her two daughters, and her 13-year-old grandson — were shot dead at Nancy’s homestead.
King is the maternal aunt of both Mary and Nancy.
King was sleeping at Mary’s homestead, which has two houses.
“I slept in a room with two other women, my fellow congregants, while Ruth and other youths slept in other rooms.
“About 1am, I heard [a noise at] the main door and shortly after that, people came in sounding angry, asking harshly, ‘Where is Sikho, where is Sikho? Show us where is Sikho’.
After that there was brandishing of a gun.”
Apart from an infant who survived, covered in his mother’s blood, all the people in the room were gunned down.
The killers did not see King and the two other women, who were hiding behind a bed in the other room.
“While hiding behind the bed, we were praying,” King said.
The shots continued as the gunmen left the homestead, with the last shot being fired near the main gate before King heard a car start and pull off.She called a friend to call the police.
“The police arrived at about 3.40am, and we were still behind the bed.
“After a while, I overheard them saying 10 confirmed dead, and I was afraid that my daughter might be among them.”
When they realised the police had arrived, they emerged from hiding.
“I saw my daughter lying dead in a pool of blood, and there were others, but the police would not allow us to enter that room.
“The infant was crying and her mother was among the dead, and there was blood everywhere.”
King and other survivors were taken to hospital, and when they returned they found Mary Sinqina’s household, where 14 people were shot dead, was cordoned off by police.
“We were shocked to hear there had also been a fatal shooting at Nancy’s homestead.
“The gunmen had shot everybody dead: Nancy, her two daughters, and her 13-year-old grandson. No life was spared at Nancy’s homestead.”
The trial is set to continue until September 19.
Daily Dispatch
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