Former Umzimkhulu municipal official arrested for the murder of ANCYL leader Sindiso Magaqa

A former senior Umzimkhulu municipal official has been arrested for the murder of former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa by the Political Killings Task Team.

National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, said the 55-year-old suspect was arrested on Monday in Malvern, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Mathe added that he is expected to appear at the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

Meanwhile the hitman, Sibusiso Ncengwa was recently sentenced to 85 years in prison.

During his trial, Ncengwa implicated other people in plotting and coordinating the assassination.

His two alleged accomplices were former police officer Sibonelo Myeza and businessman Mbulelo Mpofana. The third accomplice, Mlungisi Ncalane, will not see his day in court as he had been declared mentally unfit to stand trial and has been confined to a mental institution.

Ncengwa is now expected to testify against the two other accused, who were allegedly present during Magaqa’s shooting on July 13, 2017. 

Two councillors, Jabulile Msiya and Nonsikelelo Mafa, who were with Magaqa during the attack at a car wash, were also shot but survived. 

Another alleged accomplice, Jabulani Mdunge, who allegedly sprayed Magaqa and others with AK-47 bullets, died in a shootout with police.  

During the mitigation of his sentence, Ncengwa confessed that a day before the shooting, he went to Umzimkhulu from Durban to confirm Magaqa’s identity. 

On the day of the murder, he spotted Magaqa arriving at the car wash he often frequented. 

The assailants were paid a total of more than half a million Rand for the murder. 

Magaqa was killed for speaking out against a corruption-riddled tender to construct a local memorial hall. 

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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