Self-confessed murderer guilty of 51 charges

May 4, 2004

A self-confessed serial hijacker and murderer has been found guilty on 51 charges in the Cape High Court today. Asanda Baninzi (21) of Guguletu admitted to killing 14 people in a hi-jacking spree between June and August 2001.

His co-accused committed suicide when police tried to arrest him earlier.

Jonathan Morris, the investigating officer, testified that Baninzi said he had trouble sleeping because of all the murders he committed. Baninzi is already serving four life sentences and a further 67 years in connection with the murder of a Delft family in August 2001.

'I killed 14 in city'

Kashiefa Ajam - Cape Times

May 4, 2004

A serial hijacker, aged 21, said he was "ashamed" as he admitted killing 14 people in an orgy of violence that involved 37 other serious crimes and made him rival the notorious Station Strangler as Cape Town's worst mass murderer.

In a plea explanation handed to the Cape High Court yesterday, Asanda Baninzi, of Gugulethu, pleaded guilty to 14 charges of murder, three of attempted murder, 15 of kidnapping, 12 of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one of indecent assault, four of rape, one of housebreaking, and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Baninzi's co-accused, Mthuthezeli Eric Nombewu, also known as "Wox", committed suicide about a month after their 2001 rampage. Three other men are to be tried separately.

In court yesterday, Keith Hutton (for Baninzi) was surprised to hear him plead not guilty to a charge of rape, but prosecutor Jan Theron later indicated the state would not prosecute him on that charge.

Some of the men's victims were couples attacked while courting. Most of their victims were shot in the head.

In his statement, Baninzi said that during May and August 2001, he became "friendly with a group of bad people", including Zolani Dosi - also known as "Zakes" - Garrol Bosman, Nturu and Wox.

He and Wox had smoked Mandrax "daily and as often as we could".

"Neither Wox nor I worked and we needed money to live and to buy Mandrax and other drugs. To get money we decided to hijack cars so that we could kidnap the occupants and rob them of their money and personal effects and so that we could strip the cars and sell the parts."

Baninzi said Wox and the others had carried out the killings and he knew that they would shoot and kill the people.

"I actively participated in the hijacking, kidnapping, robberies and rapes as I wanted to buy Mandrax tablets and I acknowledge that I unlawfully and intentionally committed murders and other crimes."

Baninzi said he knew what he had done had been unlawful and wrong. Although he had smoked Mandrax, he had been aware at all times of what he was doing.

"I am very ashamed of what I have done and deeply regret the pain and suffering that my actions have caused to the families and friends of the victims."

The first six charges against Baninzi relate to an incident on June 20, 2001 when he and Wox hijacked a couple in their VW Microbus at their home in Gugulethu. One of the two men indecently assaulted the woman, before both of them raped her and robbed her and her male friend

Three charges relate to the murders of People's Transport taxi driver Mogamat Brand and his last passenger, Ryan Masetu.

Weeks later the body of Mqibalo Mninsi was found lying beside a road in Delft. He had been shot in head.

Baninzi said in his plea statement that on July 22 he and Wox hijacked Richard Dantjies and Faith Qwelane at gunpoint.

"We drove to the Zwelitsha area where we both raped the woman. I locked the man in the boot of the car.

"When we finished raping the woman we took the couple to an unused shack in Nyanga. Wox shot them both in the head. We took their money, a cellphone and their VW."

Baninzi admitted he had hijacked Stanley Khumalo and Ntombhekya Matomana, who were parked in Gugulethu on July 25. The couple were kidnapped, shot and left for dead.

Relatives and friends of the victims packed the public gallery and there was loud weeping while Baninzi's statement was being read out.

After the proceedings, investigating officer Jonathan Morris, who had been to most of the crime scenes, said the case was one of the "most gruesome" of his career.

"I have handled many cases in my career, but this is one where one person was charged with so many crimes - and admitted to committing them," he said.

'I didn't pull trigger'

Baninzi blames pals for 14 hijack killings

May 04, 2004

Karyn Maughan - CapeArgus.co.za

Asanda Baninzi said the word "guilty" 51 times yesterday to a litany of charges ranging from kidnap to murder. Yet the 21-year-old accused of a bloody hijack rampage insists he did not shoot a single one of 14 alleged murder victims.

Instead, he has blamed "bad people" he befriended in 2001 for the execution-style killings.

While relatives of the victims shot dead during the orgy of violence - while he was just 18 - wept in the public gallery at the Cape High Court, an exhausted-looking Baninzi admitted to all but one of 52 counts.

Apart from the killings, there were 15 charges of kidnapping, 12 of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one of indecent assault, five of rape, three of attempted murder, one of housebreaking, and one of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Those killed were Moegamat Brand, Ryan Masetu, Mqibalo Mnisi, Nceba Faltein, Siseko Nxu, Richard Dantjies, Faith Qwelane, Ayanda Bokweni, Linda Mbabisa, Lent Ndzoto, Nolwandle Nkutshu, Vuyo Tati, Nomvuyo Mtiki and Sydney Molefe.

Most were shot execution-style in the back of the head and Qwelane and Mbambisa were raped before they were killed.

Baninzi pleaded not guilty to the rape of Nolwandle Nkutshu.

In a plea explanation read to the court by his advocate, Keith Hutton, Baninzi said he had known the victims of the hijackings would be shot and "that what we were doing was unlawful and wrong".

"I am very ashamed of what I have done and deeply regret the pain and suffering that my actions have caused to the families and friends of the victims".

Baninzi said he had become "very friendly with a group of bad people" - which included notorious Cape Flats gangster Mtutuzeli "Wox" Nombewu - from May to August 2001.

Nombewu - who Baninzi claims was responsible for eight of the murders - shot himself in September 2001, after a six-hour siege by police. He committed suicide when a Nyala demolished part of his shack after teargas failed to flush him out.

The rest of the killings had been done by other members of Nombewu's gang, Baninzi said.

He told the court the crime rampage had been motivated by a desire to "get money in order to live, and to buy Mandrax and other drugs". As he and Nombewu were unemployed, they decided to hijack cars, kidnap and rob the occupants and strip the vehicles to sell parts.

In grim detail, Baninzi described how he and Nombewu had randomly hijacked victims - usually before or after smoking Mandrax - and proceeded to rob and kill them.

Baninzi said he and Nombewu had driven Bokweni and Mbambisa to the Mawumawu area in Nyanga after hijacking them on August 8, 2001. Nombewu then shot Bokweni as he lay face down on the road - with a terrified Mbambisa still in the car, he said.

The young woman was taken to Zwelitsha, where she was raped by both Baninzi and Nombewu.

Afterwards she was fatally shot in the head.

Eager to buy Mandrax with the proceeds, Baninzi and Nombewu drove to a Gugulethu shebeen. Nombewu decided they would rob Mtiki, the alleged dealer.

"When we arrived, we pretended to be the police and shouted that she should open the door. When a woman opened the door, we pretended that we wanted to buy Mandrax tablets.

When she said that she did not have any, we pointed our guns at her and robbed her of her money.

"Wox then shot her in the head, killing her."

Killer had killed before, court told

Karyn Maughan

May 05, 2004

Not only did serial killer Asanda Baninzi murder 14 people - he also slaughtered a 10-year-old girl, her teenage sister and their parents.

The shocking revelation emerged in the Cape High Court on Tuesday, when the 21-year-old, described as one of Cape Town's most prolific serial killers, was convicted of 49 of the 51 charges to which he pleaded guilty on Monday.

The charges include 15 of kidnapping, 12 of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one of indecent assault, five of rape, three of attempted murder and one of housebreaking.

Mr Justice Abe Motala found Baninzi not guilty of the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, after it emerged that the gun used in the killings belonged to former gang boss Mthuthuzeli Nombewu, alias "Wowo" or "Wox".

In mitigation of Baninzi's sentence his advocate, Keith Hutton, begged the court to recommend that his client's sentence be coupled with counselling. "He is, in many ways, just a lonely and frightened young man who got stuck on a path that was very difficult to get off."

Baninzi's murder tally was bought to 18 after investigating officer Detective Inspector Jonathan Morris testified that Baninzi had been convicted of the murder of Felicity Adams, 39, her husband, Marius, 34, and their daughters, Shauna, 10, and Alexis, 16, in the High Court last December.

Baninzi and fellow "Wox gang" member Shadrack Nontshongwana were sentenced to four terms of life imprisonment for the slayings of the Delft South family, who apparently angered them when a family member contacted police about their suspicious behaviour.

Only a few days before they were murdered in August 2001, the Adams family were held at gunpoint by the Wox gang, it emerged in evidence before the court. Mrs Adams had pleaded with them to take anything they wanted, but spare her family's lives. The gang left with nothing, but returned to shoot each family member in the back of the head.

Baninzi and Nontshongwana were sentenced to an additional 67 years for several charges of aggravated robbery, housebreaking and kidnapping.

In his plea explanation, currently before the court, Baninzi said he had become involved with a group of "bad people" - including notorious Gugulethu gangster Nombewu - during the period of the crimes.

Nombewu, who Baninzi claimed was the "triggerman" in most of the murders, committed suicide in September 2001 - after soldiers, police and angry residents surrounded his Gugulethu shack.

Baninzi claimed that his and Nombewu's crime rampage was motivated by a desire to "get money in order to live, and to buy Mandrax and other drugs".

As the two were unemployed, they decided to hijack motor vehicles "so that we could kidnap the occupants and rob them of their money and... strip the motor vehicles to sell parts".

Hutton said Baninzi had shown remorse by recognising that "he made bad choices".

"Essentially, (Baninzi) is a young man who threw his life away in the space of three months.

"It would be easy for us to turn our back on him but we have been given a chance to show mercy by seeing what we can do to help him in prison."

When asked by the judge why Baninzi had raped his victims if all he wanted was money, Hutton said his client had been on an "escalating treadmill".

Baninzi's victims are Moegamat Brand, Ryan Masetu, Mqibalo Mnisi, Nceba Faltein, Siseko Nxu, Richard Dantjies, Faith Qwelane, Ayanda Bokweni, Linda Mbabisa, Lent Ndzoto, Nolwandle Nkutshu, Vuyo Tati, Nomvuyo Mtiki and Sydney Molefe. Most of the victims were shot execution-style in the back of the head and Qwelane and Mbambisa were raped before they were killed.

One of the survivors of the attacks, Ntombhekya Matomana, was blinded by a gunshot to her head and died a year later.

Self-confessed killer slapped with life term

May 5, 2004

Asanda Baninzi, a convicted serial killer and hijacker, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Cape High Court.

Baninzi has been handed a life term for each of the 14 murders he confessed to have committed during a spate of hijackings between June and August 2001, when he was 18. He was also given life sentences for various rapes.

Mthutuzeli Nombewu, Baninzi's accomplice, committed suicide to escape arrest. Jonathan Morris, the investigating officer, testified that Baninzi said he had trouble sleeping because of all the murders he committed.

Baninzi is already serving four life sentences and a further 67 years in connection with the murder of a Delft family in August 2001. Yesterday he was found guilty of 51 charges. Abe Motala, a presiding judge over the case, said he failed to understand what had driven Baninzi to commit such crimes.

The Cape High Court on Wednesday handed down 19 life sentences for self-confessed serial killer Asanda Baninzi.

He was convicted of 14 murders, four rapes of hijacking victims and two armed robberies.

In addition to the 19 life sentences, Baninzi was further sentenced to 189 years of imprisonment.

He appeared before Judge Abe Motala who had the highest praise for investigating officer Inspector Jonathan Morris' thorough work on the case.

The judge said he had no doubt that the community-at-large shared his sentiments about Morris' dedication to duty.

Baninzi, who is presently serving four life sentences for the murder of a family of four living in Delft on the Cape flats, pleaded guilty to 14 murders, 15 hijackings and four rapes.

Morris told the court the Delft family had been "wiped out" for informing the police of Baninzi's whereabouts.

According to Baninzi's plea explanation the mass killings rapes and hijacking happened between May and August 2001 in order to obtain money for drugs.

Baninzi's partner in crime, Mtutuzeli Nombewu, also known as "Wox" shot himself dead when police cornered him in a house in Gugulethu.

The judge said each of the four rape victims had been gang raped by the two and the first victim had been raped twice by both.

He said Baninzi had been only 18 at he time of the murder spree and it was difficult to understand what had driven such a young man to embark on such a life of crime.

Although Baninzi had shown remorse the mitigating factors were far outweighed by the seriousness of the offences and the multitude of times they were committed.

The judge said: "Over a period of nine months Baninzi and his friend went on a murderous rampage. Not satisfied with their armed robberies they repeatedly raped female victims and then cold bloodedly killed them."

The judge said it was difficult to express the horror the victims must have felt.

"Baninzi and his friend carried out the hijackings for money for Mandrax but that does not explain or excuse the sheer brutality of the rapes."

The judge said he saw many tears shed by the family and friends of Baninzi's deceased victims who have packed the court since the trial started on Monday.

He added: "I express the court's deepest sympathy for them."

Cape Town serial killer jailed for 19 life terms plus 189 years

May 6, 2004

The Cape High Court on Wednesday handed down 19 life sentences for self-confessed serial killer Asande Baninzi (*1983). He was convicted of 14 murders, four rapes of hijacking victims and two armed robberies. In addition to the 19 life sentences, Baninzi was further sentenced to 189 years of imprisonment.

Baninzi, who is presently serving four life sentences for the murder of a family of four living in Delft on the Cape flats, pleaded guilty to 14 murders, 15 hijackings and four rapes. The court the Delft family had been "wiped out" for informing the police of Baninzi's whereabouts. According to Baninzi's plea explanation, the mass killings, rapes and hijacking happened between May and August 2001 in order to obtain money for drugs.

Baninzi's partner in crime, Mtutuzeli Nombewu, also known as "Wox", shot himself dead when police cornered him in a house in Gugulethu. The judge said each of the four rape victims had been gang raped by the two and the first victim had been raped twice by both.

Gang's murder spree 'fuelled by Mandrax'

Allafrica.com

May 11, 2006

A murderer serving 24 life sentences for a drug-fuelled orgy of violence on the Cape Flats is due to testify against one of his alleged accomplices in the Cape High Court.

Asanda Baninzi, 23, will be testifying against Ntura Takani, 30, who has been charged with 10 counts relating to murder, hijacking and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

During a two-month reign of terror in 2001, the Voks gang, led by Baninzi and Mthuthuzeli "Voks" Nombewu, who shot himself that year after police surrounded his shack, killed at least 34 people and raped several women.

In 2004, Baninzi pleaded guilty to 53 charges, including 15 hijackings, 18 murders and two rapes.

The State believes Baninzi and Nombewu were the masterminds behind the notorious Voks gang that terrorised the Gugulethu area.

On Monday, Nombewu's girlfriend Pumla Pienaar gave evidence relating to six hijackings. She implicated Takani as one of the gang members who participated in them.

Pienaar, who said she only became aware of Nombewu's "bad ways" after she moved in with him, said he threatened to harm her family if she left him.

"He made sure I never left his side and, when he was not around, he would ask one of their guys to keep guard on me," she said.

She said Baninzi and Nombewu had a pattern during the day of smoking dagga mixed with Mandrax before going on their routine hijacking sprees at night.

"Whenever they smoked drugs, they'd sit on the floor and have their firearms at their sides," she said.

One night, they had hijacked a Volkswagen Fox in NY 79, Gugulethu, and then left it in the street before hijacking a minibus taxi that was offloading passengers in NY 41.

Pienaar, who was ordered by Nombewu to get out of the Volkswagen and meet him later at a friend's place, had realised that there were people in the boot.

Nombewu said she asked him about the incidents and what had happened to the people in the boot of the car.

"He said I talked too much."

"Whenever I asked anything relating to the crimes, he would tell me to shut up."

Advocate Sheriff Mohamed, for Takani, quizzed Pienaar on why she did not leave Nombewu when she knew that he was a "hardcore criminal".

She said Nombewu had told her he knew where her family lived and had threatened to hurt them.

"Where would I have gone if I had parted ways with him? I had four children, my mother and my siblings that I wanted to protect. He had also assaulted me before," said Pienaar.

She never thought he was a killer until he "cold-bloodedly" shot to death, at close range, a hijacking victim in his Ford Meteor.

Mohamed had also put it to Pienaar that her evidence before court did not match her signed statement she made to the police.

"In your statement, you don't mention that Voks pointed a firearm towards the Kombi," said Mohamed.

Earlier, court officials looked shocked and anxious when one of the assessors, magistrate Phindi Norman, drew attention to Takani, who had his face on the table and his eyes closed.

After a few shakes by his advocate Mohamed, the embarrassed Takani apologised and said he had fallen asleep. He asked the court for an adjournment so that he could freshen up.