A former airport security officer has been jailed for life for killing his supervisor at King Shaka International Airport in Durban.

Sphelele Mdletshe was sentenced in the Durban high court on Wednesday for murdering Zandile Mkhize in March 2018.

Mkhize reported Mdletshe for returning late from his lunch break, resulting in him being sent home and told he would have to account for his tardiness the next day. Mdletshe went home, fetched his firearm and waited to confront the single mother of two after her shift.

“Knowing that Mkhize had finished her shift, he went to the area where she waited for her transport and shot her several times. Mdletshe fired 14 shots, emptying the firearm cartridge, with 11 of these shots striking her. He then walked to the police station and handed over his firearm,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Kara in a statement.

During the trial, the state led video evidence from the scene of the incident, which showed Mdletshe shooting Mkhize.

In aggravation of sentence, a victim impact statement, compiled by Mkhize's son and facilitated by court preparation officer Nadi Ngcobo, was submitted to the court.

In the statement, the 23-year-old said his mother’s death was traumatic for him and his seven-year-old sister. He said their mother was a single parent and the breadwinner in their home.

He said his dream of working and taking care of his mother would never be fulfilled.

The director of public prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal, advocate Elaine Zungu, said Mdletshe's actions were “senseless and unwarranted”.