Five people, including notorious robber Fikile Msindwana, have been sentenced in the Bhisho high court for a series of armed robberies carried out across the Eastern Cape between December 2018 and July 2019.
Msindwana, Camagu Zimela, Siphelo Mase, Siyabonga Mkhangeli, and Msindwana’s former partners, Noveki Maqungeni and Zoleka Ntsizi, faced 21 counts in total.
These included five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder, attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, reckless discharge of a firearm, malicious damage to property and possession of prohibited firearms.
The robberies targeted Juice Tavern in Mdantsane (twice), Dikela Supermarket and Ace Gas Centre in Mdantsane, a furniture shop in Ntabozuko and Fidelity Cash Solutions in Langeni Forest, Tsolo.
Cash, cellphones and vehicles were stolen. In several incidents, high-calibre weapons including R5 and AK-47 rifles were fired.
Judge Igna Stretch sentenced Msindwana to an effective 50 years’ imprisonment (eligible for parole after 20 years).
Zimela received an effective 15 years, Mase 20 years and Mkhangeli 12 years.
Maqungeni was given five years’ imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of any offence involving unlawful possession of a firearm during that period.
Ntsizi received 12 years’ imprisonment wholly suspended for five years, together with three years’ correctional supervision.
Conditions include that she is not convicted of robbery with aggravating circumstances or any offence involving unlawful possession of a firearm during the suspension period.
All six were declared unfit to possess a firearm.
In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Nceba Ntelwa described the group as “highly effective” and the attacks as brazen.
He highlighted CCTV footage showing Msindwana unmasked during two robberies and noted that a cashier at Juice Tavern was shot in the ribcage with an R5 rifle, leaving permanent scars.
Ntelwa initially sought 75 years for Msindwana and 30 years for Mase.
In mitigation, Msindwana’s counsel, advocate Glad Mhlaba, told the court that Msindwana has five children and, before his latest arrest, had been running a cleaning, security and road-construction business inherited from his mother.
Mhlaba pointed out that Msindwana had been on parole since March 2018 after serving part of a previous 25-year sentence for offences committed after a 2007 prison escape.
Zimela’s advocate, Ntombenani Mtini, said Zimela had co-operated fully with the state, made a pointing-out and expressed remorse.
Zimela, a former SA Defence Force member (1994–1996), suffered two strokes in February 2025 that left him with impaired speech and mobility.
He required assistance with basic tasks in prison.
Mase’s counsel submitted that he was a first offender with two young children and had owned taxis before his arrest, one of which was later written off in an accident.
Mkhangeli’s attorney, Luzuko Tshingana, said his client was also a first offender who supported two children and had only a minor role linked to the theft of alcohol.
Maqungeni, represented by Mtini, is a single mother of two studying civil engineering.
The firearm linked to her charge had been brought to her home by Msindwana and later moved by her to a hidden location.
Ntsizi’s attorney, Asanda Pakade, told the court that Ntsizi was the sole breadwinner for two unemployed adult children, worked as a general assistant at the Mbhashe municipality and had no previous convictions.
She co-operated with police after her arrest.
All the accused have remained in custody since their arrests in 2019.
Daily Dispatch
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