The high court in Durban sentenced two Glebelands Hostel hitmen to life imprisonment on Friday for killing a Lamontville taxi association chairman in 2015.

Mxoleleni Hopeson Bhani (30) and his accomplice‚ Mbeko Duma (31), were convicted for killing Vela Simon Ndebele (52).

Bhani and Duma shot Ndebele while he was at a meeting in the Lamontville community hall and then fled. They were arrested with guns and rounds of ammunition in their possession.

They were each sentenced to life imprisonment for murder‚ 15 years' imprisonment for possession of unlicensed firearms and four years' imprisonment for possession of ammunition.

Bhani is also serving a life term for killing Sipho Ndovela‚ who was gunned down outside the Umlazi Magistrate's Court in 2015.

Major General Bheki Langa‚ KwaZulu-Natal’s acting provincial police commissioner‚ applauded the investigating team for securing life sentences.

“We will ensure that we put all hitmen linked to Glebelands Hostel and taxi-related violence‚ as well as other serious and violent crimes‚ behind bars indefinitely. Our investigators are working around the clock to ensure that there is peace and stability at the hostel and this sentence will bring hope to the community members that police are determined to root out anyone who is responsible for the volatile situation‚” he said.