- Life Imprisonment for Police Officer Murderers: Thando Mangolwane, Siyabonga Zimela, and Siphelo Bebe received life sentences for the 2021 assassination of SAPS detective Phumlani Dastile, emphasizing the severity of attacking law enforcement.
- Revenge Motive Behind the Crime: The murder was orchestrated by Bebe as revenge for Dastile’s role in convicting Bebe on earlier charges, emphasizing the use of violence to retaliate within the criminal justice system.
- Inside Prison Coordination of the Hit: Bebe, serving multiple life sentences, used an illegal cellphone from prison to plan and coordinate the attack, illustrating ongoing criminal activity despite incarceration.
The Eastern Cape High Court sitting in Bisho has sentenced Thando “Flokkie” Mangolwane, Siyabonga “Jacks” Zimela, and Siphelo “Spikiri” Bebe to life imprisonment for the assassination of South African Police Service (SAPS) detective Warrant Officer Phumlani Dastile (44). The murder took place on 23 August 2021.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the killing was orchestrated as an act of revenge against Dastile, who had played a key role in securing Bebe’s earlier conviction. Bebe, the mastermind, was already serving multiple life sentences for violent crimes committed in 2018. From inside prison, he used an illegal cellphone to coordinate the hit.
He recruited Mangolwane and Zimela through a mutual acquaintance, Kwanga Nojaholo, who later turned State witness under Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The evidence provided was crucial in securing the convictions.
The NPA described the murder as not only an attack on an individual officer but also on the justice system itself. “This sentence reaffirms our commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that those who harm law enforcement officers face the full might of the law,” the statement read.
The court’s ruling was welcomed as a victory for justice and a strong warning against attacks on police officers tasked with fighting crime.
