Feared taxi boss Vusi 'Khekhe' Mathibela sentenced to 30 years in prison for Bozwana hit

Feared Mamelodi taxi boss Vusi “Khekhe” Mathibela will spend the next 30 years behind bars for the murder of North West businessman Wandile Bozwana. 

Mathibela, along with Sipho Patrick Hudla, Robert Mutapa and Bonginkosi Khumalo, were sentenced in the North Gauteng High Court to 30 years' imprisonment for murdering Bozwana, 10 years for the attempted murder of his business partner Mpho Baloyi, six years for unlawful possession of a firearm and two years each for unlawful possession of ammunition. The court ordered that the other sentences run concurrently with that of murder. 

Judge Papi Mosopa said the murderers failed to show remorse during the trial, claiming they could not feel remorse for a crime they did not commit. 

“It is clear that based on the confession statements that the motive is still undetermined. The accused did not testify during proceedings even after they were convicted. What is clear is that there was an instruction that led to the death of the deceased,” said Mosopa. 

He said the four violated Bozwana’s right to life and dignity, bearing in mind the manner in which he was stalked from a hair salon in Sandton until he was gunned down in Pretoria.

“The actions of the accused left the children of the deceased without a father, the wife of the deceased without a husband and the rest of his family without a son, a brother or uncle. His four-year-old will grow up without knowing their father because of the actions of the accused,” said Mosopa. 

He said the accused paid no regard to Bozwana’s life and that his murder left his family traumatised. 

“This sentence should serve to meet the basic requirements of a sentence and deter criminal activities and rehabilitate the accused.”

During court proceedings, Mathibela wore a new beige suit and appeared unfazed while furiously typing on his cellphone.

Bozwana's brother Benedict Bozwana reacted with joy to the sentencing and said he was grateful the nightmare was finally over. 

“It's been almost nine years since my brother was killed. We are happy that the court gave them 30 years. This means they will be in prison for a long time. But it won't bring back my brother. His children have been living their lives without him,” he said. 

Benedict said they had to wait long to see justice and that he was sad because his mother did not live long enough to see the men who killed his son behind bars. 

Nopopi Aletta Bozwana was murdered during a house invasion in August last year.

“It's painful because my mother was also murdered last year and nobody has been arrested for her murder. She would have been happy to witness this day,” said Benedict.

Despite the conviction and sentencing, Mathibela still maintained his innocence. 

Timeline:

• Bozwana is murdered after being stalked by a group of assassins from Sandton to Pretoria on October 2, 2015. 

• Hudla and Mutapa were arrested in November 2015. Mathibela, also known as Nyawane due to a limp, hands himself over to the Brooklyn SAPS in January 2016 after being pointed out by Hudla and Mutapa in their confession statements. Mathibela was granted R50,000 bail in 2017. 

• While out on bail, Mathibela was publicly described as Mamelodi’s Al Capone after allegations of extortion were levelled against him in 2018. He was accused of running an extortion ring that saw dozens of businesses in the Tshwane township pay a protection/operating fee to operate in his area.

• This would prove to be the beginning of the end for Mathibela as authorities circled around and eventually arrested him in connection with the extortion allegations. As part of his bail conditions for the Bozwana murder, Mathibela was prohibited from committing any criminal offences, no matter how small. 

• It was later revealed in court Mathibela was arrested while on his way to Dubai for a holiday with his family while his bail conditions prohibited him from leaving South Africa. It also emerged Mathibela had left the country to holiday in Mauritius in October 2018.

• Judge Bert Bam revoked Mathibela’s R50,000 bail in 2019, making him spend the remainder of his trial in custody. 

• Mathibela and his co-accused were convicted of Bozwana’s murder on November 24, 2023. 

• They were sentenced to an effective 30-year prison sentence on January 26, 2024.

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