Africa-Press – South-Africa. The mother of the two Mazibuko sisters, killed by the man who allegedly confessed to the murder of Hillary Gardee when he was arrested for the siblings’ murders, says she will finally sleep peacefully now.
On Thursday, Rassie Nkune, 36, was sentenced by Judge Vincent Ratshibvumo in the packed Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela.
He was handed an effective life sentence for killing Marcia Mazibuko, 46, and Pretty Mazibuko, 41, in KaNyamazane on 15 May 2022.
“He is dangerous. That court has done an excellent job by removing him from society forever,” Samaria Mazibuko, 67, said.
“I was living in fear…. One night, I heard someone walking up the stairs to my bedroom. I woke up and checked all the windows only to realise that it was my grandchild,” Mazibuko.
“It will take time to heal from this pain in my heart. My daughters were responsible. They looked after me and their children. I relied on them for many things. I raised them alone until they became adults.”
Pretty would unexpectedly cook for her on Valentine’s Day and buy her flowers, while Marcia, who was a sergeant in the police, bought her groceries.
“Nkune took them away from me,” said Mazibuko.
Pretty’s stepson, Ndumiso Khumalo, said Nkune betrayed his mother’s love.
“I respected him, thinking he loved my mother,” said Khumalo. “I will never forgive Nkune.”
He said while the court had delivered justice to their family, it didn’t change the fact that Nkune had killed their loved ones.
“I can’t say we are happy with the sentence. It will not bring them back.”
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said they hoped the sentence would send a stern message to society.
“The case has highlighted the scourge of gender-based violence in society and killings of police officers. The NPA takes these crimes seriously,” said Nyuswa.
Meanwhile, Nkune is also facing another murder charge after allegedly killing Nonkululeko Crystal Nkosi in Sundra on 6 August 2022.
He allegedly threatened Nkosi with a firearm, strangled her, and threw her in a ditch before fleeing in her Mercedes-Benz, which was later found abandoned in Sundra.
Nkosi succumbed to her injuries the following day in hospital but had pointed out Nkune as her attacker.
Last month, charges against Nkune, Sipho Lawrence Mkhatshwa, Albert Mduduzi Gama and Philemon Lukhele were provisionally withdrawn after the State said it could not locate its key witnesses in the Gardee murder trial.
The men were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and killing Gardee.
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