Siphamandla Dlomo was sentenced at the Durban High Court to seven terms of life and 70 years imprisonment for the murders, attempted murders, and housebreaking he committed in August 2023, in Umlazi Q Section.

Dlomo was also convicted and sentenced for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Before the incident, Dlomo had a fallout with one of the complainants and as a result, he (Dlomo) harboured ill feelings towards him.

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said shortly after the fallout, Dlomo planned with others to eradicate the family of the complainant.

“On August 11, 2023, Dlomo and others armed themselves with firearms and proceeded to the complainant’s homestead at Umlazi Q Section, in search of the complainant. They could not find the complainant as the complainant had fled his home, upon hearing that Dlomo was looking for him,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.

Dlomo and the assailants then shot and killed the complainant’s neighbour as well as other people who were in Dlomo’s house, before setting the house alight. Dlomo then managed to find the complainant and while a scuffle ensued between them, the complainant managed to escape.

Ms Ramkisson-Kara said Dlomo and the others then proceeded to search for other deceased and fatally shot them. The following night Dlomo returned to Umlazi Q Section and fatally shot two people who were friends of the complainant. Dlomo then handed himself over to the police.

“In court, Advocate Denardo Macdonald led ballistic evidence, as well as cellphone evidence, placing Dlomo at the scene of the crime. Video footage and still photographs also helped bolster the state’s case. In aggravation of the sentence, Advocate Macdonald handed in a Victim Impacts Statements facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Thandeka Nadi Mofokeng, wherein the victims of these offences described their ordeals,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.

Dlomo was sentenced to seven terms of life and 30 years imprisonment for the nine counts of murder, 10 years imprisonment for each of the two counts of attempted murder, 15 years imprisonment for the unlawful possession of a firearm and five years imprisonment for the housebreaking.

“The NPA welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter. Together with our partners in the crime prevention cluster, we will continue to fight for justice on behalf of the victims of crime,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.