The man who murdered Mbhashe Ward 2 councillor Mzikayise Saki and raped a female companion has been sentenced to two life terms in prison.
Thembinkosi Dyakophu, 39, was convicted in the Butterworth regional court for the July 2023 attack that shocked the Ngxakaxha community near Dutywa.
Saki, 45, was found dead in a small dam along the N2 between Dutywa and Butterworth. His killing initially sparked speculation of a political motive.
Dyakophu and a relative of Saki’s were arrested on the same day, but the relative was later acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Saki and the 28-year-old woman were ambushed by two men while walking home from the Kwarini Tavern in Ngxakaxha village on July 21 2023.
Mbhashe municipal leaders have welcomed the sentence.
“They brutally killed councillor Saki, they deserve to rot in jail. This killer is a monster,” municipal speaker Babalwa Majavu said.
“But we are worried that only one person has been convicted as there were reports that two or more people were involved in the murder and rape.
“We are, however, relieved that justice has been served and that his family and the council can now find some closure.”
Majavu also urged police to speed up the investigation into the killing of another councillor, Nomxolisi Nqwena.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the evidence showed that Saki and the woman were strangled before being dragged to an open field, where the attackers repeatedly raped the woman in front of Saki.
“After killing Saki, they moved the woman to different locations and continued the assaults,” Tyali said.
“At one point, Dyakophu’s accomplice left to retrieve a cap he had dropped. Dyakophu then held the woman captive in an abandoned house until dawn, where he raped her multiple times.
“Before releasing her, he bizarrely professed love, demanded her Facebook details, and warned her not to use the route near the murder scene.”
The victim reported the ordeal immediately after arriving home.
Police traced Dyakophu to a nearby friend’s house, where he was arrested while watching forensic pathologists process the crime scene.
“The woman was also able to identify him from his Facebook profile. Despite his denial and claims of an alibi, forensic and circumstantial evidence linked him to the crimes.
“His co-accused, however, was acquitted due to inconclusive DNA results and poor visibility during the attacks,” Tyali said.
In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Wayne Ludick detailed the severe trauma suffered by the rape survivor, who witnessed Saki’s brutal murder while being repeatedly violated.
The court also acknowledged the profound impact of the crime on the victims’ families, friends and broader community.
Finding no exceptional circumstances to justify deviating from the prescribed minimum sentence, the court imposed two life sentences — one for murder and one for rape.
“The NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to securing justice for victims of violent crime and ensuring that perpetrators who endanger communities are permanently removed from society,” Tyali said.
In 2023, Saki’s family said they were distraught and demanding answers.
“We found Mzikayise strangled and drowned in the swamp in the village. The suspects also allegedly gang-raped a woman,” a family member said at the time.
“We are thankful they did not kill the woman, but she will be scarred forever.
“Even if they are convicted and jailed for life, if they don’t reveal why they killed him, we will never have closure.
“Mzikayise was popular in Ngxakaxha near Dutywa. We will continue to ask why these boys were so monstrous.”
The family could not be reached for comment after the sentencing.
Mbhashe mayor Samkelo Janda said it was deeply concerning that three ANC ward councillors had died between October 2022 and July 2023.
“Nqwena was shot, Mbulelo Sisulu died in mysterious circumstances, and Saki was strangled,” Janda said.
“The level of crime is alarming. This was a public representative, and his death will raise fears and anxiety in our communities.”
Daily Dispatch
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