KZN man barged into home and pointed out people to kill

A 23-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to two life terms and 15 years behind bars.

• A 23-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to two life sentences and 15 years in prison.
• It emerged in the case that he and an unknown gunman forced their way into a house in Durban in August 2021, where the man shot dead two people he pointed out and wounded his ex-girlfriend.
• The ex-girlfriend helped police set up an operation which led to his arrest.

A 23-year-old man, Andile Biyela, was sentenced to two life terms and 15 years behind bars on Thursday after he and an unknown gunman forced their way into a house in Durban in August 2021, where the gunman shot dead two people Biyela pointed out, and wounded his ex-girlfriend.

He was sentenced in the Durban Regional Court.

On the day of the incident, according to KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, Biyela went to Mthandeni Mpofana’s home where his then ex-girlfriend, Luyanda Ntuli was, along with Mxolisi Gida and other people.

The occupants of the house refused to let him in, so he went away.

“He returned a few hours later, accompanied by another unknown man and they broke the door down. Biyela pointed at Mpofana, and the unknown man walked up to him and shot him in the head. Biyela then pointed to Gida, and he was also shot in the head,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

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Biyela then pointed at Ntuli and the gunman walked up to her and placed the gun to her head. However, she managed to push the gun away and a shot went off, grazing her elbow. Biyela and the assailant fled.

The following day, Biyela contacted Ntuli on her cellphone, asking to meet at a nearby park and instructing her to come alone, without alerting the police. 

However, Ntuli ignored his request and contacted the police anyway, who set up an operation and stayed close by. 

Biyela was arrested when he arrived at the meeting point.

In court, prosecutor Carlson Govender presented Ntuli’s evidence as well as that of the investigating officer.

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Govender also handed in a pre-sentencing report on how the ordeal affected Ntuli’s life, Ramkisson-Kara said.

Ntuli told the court that Biyela had destroyed her life. 

“She was forced to leave school after the incident due to her injuries. She also said that he had physically abused her when they were in a relationship. Ntuli asked the court to impose a harsh sentence on him,” Ramkisson-Kara added.