Penwell Dlamini
Penwell Dlamini
The mother of one of the men who died in the N1 accident involving Mandoza yesterday hugged the kwaito star after he was sentenced in the Roodeport magistrate's court to four years' imprisonment - suspended for five years.
"It's okay," said Margaret Thebe to a contingency of journalists after the emotional embrace.
Mandoza, 30, real name Mduduzi Tshabalala, was found guilty on two counts of culpable homicide.
He was accused of negligent driving in the crash on the N1 highway in which Felix Thebe and Charles George Shabalala were killed.
The crash took place on March 1 this year.
In court Mandoza was accompanied by his wife Portia and manager Vaughn Eaton, both of whom were dressed in black.
On the night of the crash Mandoza was returning from his mother's home in Pimville - where he had dropped off his wife - and then drove on to Kempton Park for the Mzansi awards after-party.
His car smashed into the rear of the VW Jetta in which Shabalala and Thebe were travelling.
The two men died on the scene.
Mandoza pleaded guilty on both counts of culpable homicide.
"I am sorry and I ask for forgiveness," he said, adding that ever since the accident he felt "traumatised" and that his life would never be the same again.
Mandoza told the court that he was so driven by remorse that he had wanted to contact the families of the dead men but was advised by his lawyer and the investigating officer not to do so.
Mandoza also said that he was now scared to drive at night and most of the time either his wife or manager drove him around.
But Christo Mering, Mandoza's lawyer, asked the court not to revoke Mandoza's driver's licence - explaining that the kwaito star had to travel extensively to make a living as a performer.
During a brief adjournment, prosecutor Mardie Human asked both families what they would prefer as an appropriate sentence for Mandoza. They both replied that "the court should be the one that decides".
In passing sentence, magistrate Delize Smith said that Mandoza had shown remorse since the accident and the report by his probation officer revealed that he had since tried his best to be a model citizen.
He was also ordered to pay for funeral expenses as part of his sentence.
"I'm happy everything is over now.
"It has not been easy for me," he said after the sentence.
"Even today I can still feel the grief in both families," he said.
Gloria Shabalala, the widow of Charles Shabalala, did not say a word after sentence was passed but walked away with a deep frown on her face.
it's ok, grieving mom tells muso
Penwell Dlamini
Penwell Dlamini
The mother of one of the men who died in the N1 accident involving Mandoza yesterday hugged the kwaito star after he was sentenced in the Roodeport magistrate's court to four years' imprisonment - suspended for five years.
"It's okay," said Margaret Thebe to a contingency of journalists after the emotional embrace.
Mandoza, 30, real name Mduduzi Tshabalala, was found guilty on two counts of culpable homicide.
He was accused of negligent driving in the crash on the N1 highway in which Felix Thebe and Charles George Shabalala were killed.
The crash took place on March 1 this year.
In court Mandoza was accompanied by his wife Portia and manager Vaughn Eaton, both of whom were dressed in black.
On the night of the crash Mandoza was returning from his mother's home in Pimville - where he had dropped off his wife - and then drove on to Kempton Park for the Mzansi awards after-party.
His car smashed into the rear of the VW Jetta in which Shabalala and Thebe were travelling.
The two men died on the scene.
Mandoza pleaded guilty on both counts of culpable homicide.
"I am sorry and I ask for forgiveness," he said, adding that ever since the accident he felt "traumatised" and that his life would never be the same again.
Mandoza told the court that he was so driven by remorse that he had wanted to contact the families of the dead men but was advised by his lawyer and the investigating officer not to do so.
Mandoza also said that he was now scared to drive at night and most of the time either his wife or manager drove him around.
But Christo Mering, Mandoza's lawyer, asked the court not to revoke Mandoza's driver's licence - explaining that the kwaito star had to travel extensively to make a living as a performer.
During a brief adjournment, prosecutor Mardie Human asked both families what they would prefer as an appropriate sentence for Mandoza. They both replied that "the court should be the one that decides".
In passing sentence, magistrate Delize Smith said that Mandoza had shown remorse since the accident and the report by his probation officer revealed that he had since tried his best to be a model citizen.
He was also ordered to pay for funeral expenses as part of his sentence.
"I'm happy everything is over now.
"It has not been easy for me," he said after the sentence.
"Even today I can still feel the grief in both families," he said.
Gloria Shabalala, the widow of Charles Shabalala, did not say a word after sentence was passed but walked away with a deep frown on her face.
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