Life sentences for Mpumalanga tavern owners who set alleged burglars alight

The Citizen

30-07-2025

The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court has delivered a stern message against vigilantism, sentencing Mpilo Clinton Twala (35), Advice Philimon Lubisi (39) and Joshua Mkhonto (42) to life imprisonment for the horrific 2020 murders of Isaac Mdaka and Xoli Mathebula.
Mpumalanga News reports the trio were sentenced yesterday.
According to Monica Nyuswa, the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga, the men were convicted on two counts of murder, three counts of kidnapping, and one of assault. The charges stem from a brutal incident that took place on March 1, 2020, in Xhimungwe, Bushbuckridge.
'Twala and Mkhonto, both tavern owners, along with Twala's friend Lubisi, are reported to have forcefully abducted Mdaka and Mathebula from their homes. The victims were accused of breaking into Twala's tavern and were taken to an open field, where they were savagely assaulted with scissor jacks before being doused with petrol and set alight,' says Nyuswa.
She adds that despite suffering severe burns, Mdaka miraculously managed to escape and was discovered by a passer-by who alerted his father. An ambulance was called and both victims were rushed to Matikwane Hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries.
The three killers were arrested a week later.
During the trial, Twala, Lubisi and Mkhonto pleaded not guilty and denied any involvement in the crime.
However, senior state Adv Vuyo Mkhulise presented a compelling case, strengthened by Mdaka's testimony – given before his death – as well as accounts from eyewitnesses.
'One witness recounted seeing the accused assaulting Mdaka, and his father identified one of them as the person who had taken his son. Post-mortem reports, confirming severe burn injuries as the cause of death for both victims, were also submitted as irrefutable evidence,' says Nyuswa.
The court ultimately found the accused guilty on all charges. In aggravation of sentence, Mkhulise emphasised the trio's complete lack of remorse, describing the murders as exceptionally cruel and indicative of a profound disregard for human life. Victim impact statements, facilitated by court preparation officer Nomfundo Mokoena, further highlighted the immense and lasting trauma suffered by the victims' families.
Each of the accused received the following sentences:
Life imprisonment for each count of murder
Five years' imprisonment for each count of kidnapping
Twelve months' imprisonment for assault, suspended for five years
The court ruled that all sentences would run concurrently, effectively meaning each accused will serve life imprisonment. The Department of Correctional Services was also instructed to consult the victims' families before any consideration of parole, ensuring the gravity of the crimes continues to be acknowledged throughout the correctional process.
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