It was such a great heart breaking moment when a 34 year old former actress, Thandeka Mdeliswa was declared dead in 2020 September 5  after she was shot in the neck. She was then rushed to the hospital and unfortunately surrendered to her injuries two days later.

Thandeka Mdeliswa who played the role of khanya Hlophe in the television soapie, Ikani, has finally found justice. However, her first television role came back in 2013 when she starred in an episode of the e.tv drama anthology series eKasi: Our Stories.

The sentencing of her murderer was handed down at the Mpumalanga High Court sitting in Middelburg, after Siyabonga Mbatha, 25, from KwaZulu-Natal pleaded guilty to the aforementioned offences.

In his plea statement, Mbatha told the court that on 3 September 2020, he and his friend Ndabandaba went to collect a cell phone from the deceased’s brother in Evander.

Upon arrival, an argument over money that was allegedly taken by Thandeka‘s brother ensued. Mbatha further detailed how Thandeka, who had heard the uproar, came out of her vehicle to intervene. He then recalled how he took Ndabandaba’s firearm and shot her in the neck and fled the scene.

The court sentenced Siyabonga Mbatha to 25 years for murder, 15 years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and three years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition.

Mbatha was arrested for few days thereafter along with his two accused. Charges against the pair were withdrawn as they could not be linked to the crime. Thandeka Mdeliswa’s mother testified in aggravation of sentence, describing the traumatic consequences that the murder of her daughter had had on her life. Thandeka’s murderer may spend his whole life in prison