FORMER Orlando Pirates star Mandla "Metroblitz" Sithole should not have expected the court to have mercy on him because he did not extend mercy to the man he killed

Sithole was yesterday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for murder. The court ordered that he should serve eight years before being considered for parole.

Roodepoort regional court magistrate John Baloyi said Sithole murdered Thulani Ndlovu, 31, despite his plea with Sithole not to hurt him.

"He pleaded 'Ta Mindlo, please don't do that', but the accused went on and stabbed him," Baloyi said .

He said Sithole could have driven away, but he decided to get out of his car, follow Ndlovu and stab him.

Ndlovu was killed on May 24 2009 after he said he did not have the R100 he owed the burly former player.

"The stabbing can't be an accident because the deceased was walking away. The deceased was at the prime of his life when he was killed for nothing. What is R100 to take away someone else's life," Baloyi said.

Baloyi said it was clear that Sithole used force when stabbing Ndlovu because the knife broke Ndlovu's fifth rib and pierced his heart.

Baloyi said it was a pity that Sithole had maintained a clean record until he was 46 but he would now enter "the afternoon of his years with a record of murder".

He said he took into account Sithole's personal circumstances, that he was diabetic and that he was a first offender, but "I have to take into account the interest of the family".

Sithole's lawyer, Jurg Huysamen, applied for leave to appeal. He argued that Sithole did not have a fair trial because the magistrate kept intervening during interpretation.

Ndlovu's sister, Bhekizizwe, said the family was happy with the sentence.

"We are grateful to the police, the interpreter and the magistrate for making sure he goes to jail."

The matter was postponed to June 30 for the state to reply to the appeal.