Five men accused of executing contract killings that left two Durban Metro police officers and an ANC Youth League secretary dead will stand trial in May 2026, the Durban High Court ruled this week.
The accused, arrested by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), allegedly shot their victims execution-style after mistakenly killing the wrong target in their initial assassination attempt.
The case has been deemed trial-ready earlier this week by the Durban High Court.
The accused men, Fana Wellington Shabalala, 39, Thulani Holly Shozi, 36, Zamokuhle Mnyandu, 44, Ntobeko Hadebe/Msezane, 29, and Mthokozisi Ntando Blose, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder, three counts of murder, unlawful possession of an automatic rifle, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
The five men are alleged to have been contracted and paid to kill Lindokuhle Madonsela, who was an ANC member and a Durban Metro cop officer between May and June 2020. The State alleges they conspired among themselves, with Shozi being the one to assist his co-accused and their accomplices with movement details of Madonsela.
However, on May 25, 2020, in a matter of mistaken identity, the accused allegedly shot and killed the ANCYL secretary Thamsanqa Kingdom Gcabashe, who was coming back from a prayer meeting in the evening, mistaking him for Madonsela.
Gcabashe had just been appointed as the secretary of ANCYL. Additionally, they lived together with the Metro cop Madonsela at a Mpumalanga township in Hammarsdale.
“Gcabashe saw the accused inside his yard, armed with handguns, and tried to run away. However, two shots were fired while they were chasing him. He fell to the ground, and they continued firing shots at him. He died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the skull and its contents,” read the indictment.
When the accused realised that Gcabashe was not their target, they continued with their mission to kill Madonsela. On June 9, 2020, approximately two weeks after the murder of Gcabashe, Ndumiso Thusi, a Metro cop, arrived at Madonsela’s home with his car to pick him up for work at around 05.30.
He parked outside the house, and as soon as Madonsela got into the car, they were approached by a vehicle with some of the accused as occupants. The State alleges that the accused, who were armed with an AK-47 rifle and handguns, opened fire on Thusi and Madonsela.
“Thusi died at the scene from a penetrating gunshot wound to the head. Madonsela also died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds with multiple organ involvement,” the State alleges.
During court proceedings deputy director of Public Prosecutions, advocate Lawrence Gcaba, told the court that they have dates which they agreed on for the trial next year.
He said the case of Shozi and his co-accused would run from May 19 until June 19. Judge Jacqueline Henriques certified the matter trial-ready and postponed it for 2026.
