Thabo Ndevu, 26, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2021 murder of a police sergeant and a civilian in Mfuleni. The final judgment was handed down in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday, 06 November 2025.
Ndevu received two life sentences for the murders, which occurred on 06 June 2021. The court detailed his sentence as follows:
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Count 1: Murder of a South African Police Service (SAPS) member – Life Imprisonment
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Count 2: Murder of a civilian – Life Imprisonment
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Counts 3 & 4: Attempted murder – 10 years’ imprisonment each
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Count 5: Unlawful possession of a firearm – eight years’ imprisonment
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Count 6: Unlawful possession of ammunition – five years’ imprisonment
The court ordered that the sentences run consecutively, meaning Ndevu will effectively serve a total of 73 years in prison. He was also formally declared unfit to ever possess a firearm.
The case originated when Mfuleni SAPS members responded to a murder complaint. Upon arrival at the scene, they discovered two men with gunshot wounds on the back seat of a car. One victim was declared dead at the scene, while the other succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a hospital and was declared dead on arrival. The deceased was later identified as Sergeant Vutula, who was stationed at the Philippi-East SAPS.
A subsequent investigation by the Hawks’ National Priority Violent Crime team revealed that two other individuals in the vehicle at the time of the shooting were also victims of the attack. Investigative work led the Hawks to Ndevu, who was subsequently arrested.
Following a lengthy trial, the court found Ndevu guilty on all charges on Monday, 03 November 2025, with sentencing concluding three days later.
