A 140-Year Wall: The End of a KZN Crime Spree That Terrorized Communities

For over a year, a shadow of violence moved through communities in KwaZulu-Natal, leaving grief and fear in its wake. That shadow now has a name, and it has been condemned to spend the rest of its life behind a wall of 140 years.

Nsindiso Sakhile Gumede, just 26 years old, was sentenced in the Scottburgh Regional Court on Monday, marking the end of a brutal crime spree that spanned multiple policing precincts between 2020 and 2021.

A Trail of Violence Across the Province

Gumede was not convicted for a single, isolated crime. His sentencing was the culmination of a two-year reign of terror for which he was found guilty on a total of fourteen counts. The charges paint a picture of a relentless offender: two murders, attempted murder, carjacking, business and house robbery, and even the attempted murder of police officers.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, the spree began in August 2020 with the brutal killing of 22-year-old Siyanda Mkhize, whose body was found in an Umlazi informal settlement with both gunshot and stab wounds.

Almost a month later, Gumede struck again. Fanozi Ncanana was shot multiple times while driving his minibus in Isipingo after leaving his shop. He lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a house. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

The Investigation That Brought a Killer to Justice

The sheer spread and brutality of the crimes prompted the Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit to take over the investigations. Their work was meticulous and far-reaching. What started as two separate murder probes soon uncovered a web of violence.

“Further investigations linked Gumede with other violent cases in Umlazi, Bhekithemba, Isipingo, Sawoti and Hibberdene policing precincts,” Netshiunda explained.

All fourteen cases were centralised in Scottburgh, where what Netshiunda called “shrewd investigation” by detectives proved every case beyond a reasonable doubt. The 140-year sentence is a monumental testament to their work, finally delivering a measure of justice and closure to the many victims and their families who suffered during Gumede’s violent rampage.

{Source: Citizen}

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