'Masoyi Monster' gets five life sentences

Julius Mndawe, the serial killer  dubbed the “Masoyi Monster”, has been given five life terms for the murders of five young women and an additional 25 years for defeating the ends of justice.

Mndawe was sentenced in the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela on Thursday.

Acting judge Denise Greyling-Coetzer told Mndawe that he had committed “monstrous crimes” that deserve proper punishment.

Mndawe, 28, was convicted for killing Tokie Tlaka, 24, Banele Khoza, 15, Noxolo Mdluli, 17, Felicia Mdlovu, 17, and Nomthandazo Mdluli, 19, and burying their bodies in shallow graves at his home in Masoyi, outside Hazyview, between January 2018 and May 2019. 

He was arrested in July 2019, after the disappearance of Tlaka, and was linked to the crime through Facebook inboxes. He was also found in possession of the victim’s cellphone. 

Greyling-Coetzer said Mndawe deprived the deceased of their right to life and a proper burial. 

She said he also failed to take the stand  to shed light on how the deceased died. 

“Mr Mndawe didn't elect to take the stand, maybe that was going to be taken as a mitigation factor. However, the court will not take that as an offence. The crimes were committed in a space of 18 months and some months apart and Mr Mndawe had the time to change his life.

“The murder and concealment of bodies ranks high and these are calculated, premeditated murders. Though he spent a period from 2019 [in prison], this case is not such a case for the court to deviate from the minimum sentence. 

“Mr. Mndawe has been convicted of monstrous crimes and deserves nothing but a harsh sentence and the community needs justice. It is most regretful as you are young and a first-time offender but the crimes committed deserve an appropriate sentence,” Greyling-Coetzer said.

Families of the victims said they were relieved and over the moon that Mndawe will finally pay for his crimes.

“We are very happy as a family of Banele that Mndawe got this good sentence, though that cannot bring back our child however justice has been served. This man [Mndawe] abused our souls as families of the victims,” said Banele's mother Nester Sibiya.

“For me what made me angry was that he would come home, sit down and eat my food while we talked about the disappearance of Banele. He would say he doesn't know where she was while he had killed and buried my child,” Sibiya said. 

Nomthandazo’s mother Doris Mathebule said: “I'm happy that he is now going to spend his life in jail. This man is satanic, he doesn't deserve to stay with the community. What's disheartening is that we used to ask this man of he knew where our child was but he said he knows nothing. He would even greet me when I get off the bus from work,” said Mathebula. 

Noxolo's mother Thembisile Mdluli said they are now waiting for her remains to be released so that they can bury her. 

Noxolo and Felicia have not been buried as the state waits for their DNA results from Switzerland.

“I'm happy about the sentence but let me say all will be fine when I get the remains of my child. As we speak we are still mourning a child who died and we haven't buried her. We call on government to help us get the remains so that we find proper closure,” said Mdluli.

 National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa  welcomed the sentence, saying it will serve as a  deterrent for others who may seek  to commit similar crimes.