A former security guard, Joel Fenton Pillay (38), has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a murder he committed during the July 2021 unrest in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Scottburgh High Court handed down the sentence for the murder that took place amidst the looting and public violence in various parts of the province.
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According to Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, spokesperson for the KZN National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the incident occurred on July 12, 2021.
Pillay, who was driving a marked vehicle owned by a security company, encountered the deceased, Lindani Mthethwa, on Ireland Street in Verulam. Pillay turned his vehicle around and drove back towards Mthethwa. As he reached Mthethwa’s side, Pillay lowered the window of his vehicle and shot him in the head, resulting in Mthethwa’s death at the scene.
During the trial, Advocate Thabani Buthelezi presented the testimony of two eyewitnesses who witnessed the shooting. The court also considered details of the tracking device installed on the vehicle Pillay drove that day.
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Additionally, a victim impact statement compiled by Mthethwa’s sister, with the assistance of court preparation officer Thandeka Nadi Mofokeng, was submitted. The statement described Mthethwa as a responsible and hardworking person and highlighted the financial and emotional impact on the family, as well as the ongoing trauma experienced by his sister.
Ramkisson-Kara stated that although Pillay was a first offender, the court deviated from the minimum sentence of life imprisonment. As a result, Pillay was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
