BREAKING: KZN family mass murder suspects sentenced to life
The two brothers who yesterday pleaded guilty for hacking to death eight of their family members in Mabheleni on the south coast have been sentenced to seven life sentences and 20 years imprisonment by the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Their eight relatives - among them two babies and an elderly man - were attacked in the early hours of Wednesday morning last week at their homestead.
Thulani and Sibonelo Mncwabe kept their heads down throughout sentencing under heavy police watch.
In her sentencing, Judge Jacqueline Henriques said it would be unjust and disproportionate if the minimum prescribed sentence of life is handed down in the murder of 70 year-old Matinga Mncwabe whom the brothers believed practiced witchcraft and had targeted.
It is believed at the funeral of their brother, Mthokozisi in May, the old man told the family not to bother filling in the grave as another relative was going to die soon.
Earlier this month, their sister died leading Thulani and Sibonelo to believe Matinga was indeed practicing sorcery.
The brothers say they went after the elderly man because they feared that they would be next.
On the day of the murders they went to Matinga's rondavel and as he screamed for help, two girls came out of another home to investigate.
Thulani and Sibonelo say they attacked them as well as other family members who also rushed out because they had witnessed Matinga's murder.
Judge Henriques says some mercy had to be shown to the two accused in this regard, handing them 20 years for the old man's murder.
She also says the accused showed remorse by pleading guilty.
Henriques says the other seven family members did not practice witchcraft and were innocent victims and handed a life sentence for each of their murders.
Family members who were in court hurled insults at the pair as they were walked back down into the holding cells. Some shouted "cousins how could you do this".
(Photos: Anelisa Kubheka)