Advocate Zandile Mshololo, known for her role in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, has joined the defence team in a separate murder case in Durban. The case involves five men accused of killing Nhlanhla Ngcobo, a secretary of the Lamontville Taxi Association, on March 6, 2023. Ngcobo was allegedly gunned down near Botanic Gardens Road in Durban. Mshololo will represent one of the accused, while attorney Sibusiso Dlamini will represent the remaining four accused.
The five men face charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, murder, attempted murder, possession of a prohibited firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. Three of the accused - Siyabonga Eddie Myeza, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, and Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande - are also among the seven men currently on trial for the murders of rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and his friend Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane.
The case is linked to ongoing taxi violence, including disputes over routes and alleged revenge attacks. According to the indictment, the accused allegedly conspired to kill Ngcobo amid these tensions. The State alleges that the accused belonged to a rival taxi association and armed themselves with automatic rifles before targeting Ngcobo.
The State claims that the accused believed Ngcobo was travelling as a passenger in a vehicle driven by his wife, Zamokuhle Mkhwanazi-Ngcobo. The couple was approached by the accused in several vehicles, who fired several shots at them. Zamokuhle managed to drive to an Engen garage in Umbilo, where she obtained assistance, but Ngcobo had already been fatally wounded and died inside their vehicle.
The indictment further alleges that the accused fled the scene, driving through a red traffic light and knocking down a pedestrian. They abandoned the vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz that had been robbed from Sizwe Goodman Ndlovu on January 7, 2023. Ndlovu was kidnapped and forced into the vehicle before being dropped off on the N2 highway.
During a pre-trial conference at the Durban High Court, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Lawrence Gcaba requested that the matter be postponed to November 12 for a further pre-trial conference. Gcaba stated that the State still needed to go through the docket with Mshololo to establish whether she had received all the material that had already been supplied to the defence.
The case has been postponed, and the defence team is preparing for the trial. The accused are set to appear in court again on November 12. The murder of Ngcobo and the ongoing taxi violence in Durban have raised concerns about safety and security in the city.
Key points
- Advocate Zandile Mshololo joins defence team in Durban taxi boss murder case
- Five men accused of killing Nhlanhla Ngcobo, a secretary of the Lamontville Taxi Association
- Case linked to ongoing taxi violence and disputes over routes
