Millionaire Wandile Bozwana's 'killer' on the run for more than five years

KZN taxi boss accused of being trigger man in hit on North West businessman

10 July 2024 - 18:49
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Police at the crime scene in Pretoria where Wandile Bozwana was gunned down on October 2 2015.
Police at the crime scene in Pretoria where Wandile Bozwana was gunned down on October 2 2015.
Image: Gallo Images/Thapelo Maphakela

It took police more than five years to track and arrest KwaZulu-Natal taxi boss Senzo Mncube, who is accused of being the shooter in the hit on North West businessman Wandile Bozwana.

Mncube is on trial in the Pretoria high court on charges of murder and the attempted murder of Bozwana's business partner, Mpho Baloyi, in October 2015. 

The state is leading the CCTV footage that helped identify Mncube and the other accused in the murder.

His co-accused, feared Mamelodi taxi boss Vusi ‘Khekhe’ Mathibela, Robert Mutapa, Sipho Hudla and Bonginkosi Khumalo, have already been sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment for murdering Bozwana, 10 years for the attempted murder of Baloyi, six years for unlawful possession of a firearm and two years each for unlawful possession of ammunition. 

Despite the conviction and sentencing, the men maintain their innocence. 

Mncube has denied that he is the man seen on CCTV images following the businessman.

When proceedings got under way on Wednesday, Mncube, wearing light grey jogger pants and a matching colour shirt and an olive green jacket, walked into the accused box holding a water bottle.

The state continued running the evidence of the analysis of the images from the CCTV footage with investigating officer Sgt Evans Mongwe.

Mongwe followed up on the CCTV footage obtained from McDonald's in Sandton and from footage received from another company which depicts footage along the Garsfontein Road.

Bozwana was killed in a hail of bullets as he and Baloyi were driving on the N1 Garsfontein off-ramp in Pretoria after being followed from Sandton to Pretoria on October 2 2015. 

Referring to still images of the CCTV footage, Mongwe took the court through movements he identified had been made by Mncube and other accused when they were stalking the deceased and his business partner.

His evidence further shows the two being tailed by a BMW as they drive in a yellow car. The two are followed to Pretoria along the N1 until they off-ramp on the Garsfontein Road and stop at the traffic lights where the murder happened.

Mongwe told the court Mncube was positively identified after his picture was analysed against the image from the CCTV footage. He further told the court he positively identified Mncube as a suspect after he followed up on one of the cars linked to the murder.

The Toyota Hilux was traced through its registration number to an owner who confirmed that he had lent the car to Mncube on the day. The owner said Mncube had said he wanted to transport his wife and child.

Mongwe told the court that Mncube ran away after the arrest of the first two accused, Hudla and Mutapa. He was eventually arrested in July 2021.

The case continues on Thursday and the state is expected to play the CCTV footage to try to give the court a picture of what happened on the day of the incident.

TimesLIVE


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