Media Statement from Mpumalanga Media Centre
Corporate Communication
South African Police Service

The management of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga welcomes the uncompromising sentences that were imposed on three men accused of killing an elderly couple, Rudolf and Elna Van Heerden, both aged 79. The trio, Bongani Joseph Ncongwane (25), Irvin Brown Nkosi (22) and Charles Sibusiso Sibanyoni (29) were sentenced yesterday, 15 July 2015, at the Circuit of the Pretoria High Court in Middelburg on charges of double murder, housebreaking with intent to commit robbery, robbery, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

The sentences of the accused follow a thorough and diligent investigation by police after they responded to a burglary case on the 09th of January 2013. Police were summoned by the neighbours who noticed a broken kitchen window and a bent burglar window. When police arrived at the scene, the garage door was opened and there was no car inside. Police then instituted a preliminary investigation and began to search the premises, leaving no stone unturned. Inside the fridge in a room next to the couple’s bedroom, they found the bodies of Mr and Mrs Van Heerden with their hands and feet tied.

After a short probe, the couple’s vehicle was found abandoned on the N4 Highway towards Middelburg. A manhunt for the suspects was launched; as a result, Ncongwane and Nkosi were nabbed on the 14th of January 2013 in Lydenburg and Pretoria respectively. Sibanyoni was nabbed on the 28th of April 2013 in Witbank. They have since been kept in custody until their sentencing yesterday.

The trio has been sentenced as follows:
•Ncongwane – 20 years imprisonment for each murder which will run concurrently. For housebreaking with intent to commit robbery and robbery he was granted 15 years, five of which will run concurrently with the murder sentences. He will serve a 30 year jail term.   •Nkosi and Sibanyoni - each received two life sentences for double murder, 15 years for housebreaking with intent to commit robbery and robbery, three years for possession of firearm, as well as three years for unlawful possession of ammunition.

The management believes that these sentences will serve as a deterrent to other potential criminals. On the same note they applaud the diligent work by the investigation team. 

 -End-

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Colonel Leonard Hlathi - 082 462 0804 / 082 556 5574

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