Former Blue Bulls player guilty of axe murders

Former Blue Bulls player Phindile Joseph Ntshongwana is guilty of killing four people with an axe and of kidnapping and raping a woman.

Acting Judge Irfaan Khalil found on Friday that the former rugby star was aware of what he was doing and was criminally responsible.

"The accused has the necessary criminal capacity when committing the offences in counts one to nine. He could fully appreciate what he did and acted accordingly," he said.

On Thursday morning he ruled that Ntshongwana was indeed the man who had committed four counts of murder, two of attempted murder, one of assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, one of kidnapping, and one of rape.

Ntshongwana killed Thembelenkosini Cebekhulu in Montclair on March 20, 2011, Paulos Hlongwa two days later, Simon Ngidi the following day, and an unidentified man sometime that week.

All were hacked to death with an axe. Two of the victims were beheaded.

He also raped and kidnapped a woman. He was charged with attempted murder for attacking two men, one in Umlazi on March 21, 2011, and the other in Lamontville on March 23.