The Eastern Cape Division of the High Court has sentenced two people to life imprisonment for the 2017 murder of a traffic officer in Burgersdorp.
During sentencing proceedings held in Burgersdorp on 6 March 2026, 52-year-old Nokuzola Nxilolo and 44-year-old Mzamo Ciko were sentenced for murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The pair each received five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder and life imprisonment for murder.
The sentences relate to the killing of 51-year-old Sindezama Nxilolo, who was shot and killed on 3 July 2017 at his home in Camelia Street, Eureka Location, Burgersdorp. At the time, he was employed as a traffic officer at the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality.
Investigations revealed that Nokuzola Nxilolo, who was married to the victim, was involved in a romantic relationship with Ciko. The victim was allegedly seen as an obstacle to their relationship, which led to a plan to have him killed.
According to investigators, the couple hired a hitman from Cape Town. On the night of the incident, Ciko allegedly took the hitman to the victim’s home where he shot the traffic officer seven times at close range before fleeing the scene.
The hitman, Lungile Ntungwana, was arrested in 2017 and later convicted on 1 September 2021, receiving a sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment. He later became a state witness in the case against the other accused.
Following further investigation, detectives gathered key evidence that led to the arrest of Nxilolo and Ciko in Khayelitsha in 2022. They appeared in the Burgersdorp Magistrate’s Court before the matter was transferred to the Makhanda High Court.
The Acting Joe Gqabi District Commissioner, Zingisa Manqoyi, has commended the investigation team for their dedication and outstanding work in securing the convictions.
The investigation team included Captain Modise (retired), Warrant Officer Thembekile Mlindazwe, Warrant Officer Sinethemba Mtshawu, and Sergeant Buyelwa Tindleni, whose coordinated efforts ensured a breakthrough in the case and justice for the victim’s family.
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