Hitmen’s lawyer sentenced for delaying trial
The judge found Sithembiso Nkatha avoided court, delaying a mass murder trial from July 2025 to October 2026
A Durban attorney, Sithembiso Nkatha, has been sentenced by a judge to imprisonment or a fine for delaying a high-profile murder trial by over a year. The alleged hitmen, Sbonelo Shangase and Thalente Mkhize, were charged with 30 counts of murder, including the 2021 killings of Brendan Thandroyen, his daughter Bianca Afrika, and his brother Craig Thandroyen.
Nkatha, who was initially representing Shangase, failed to attend court in July 2025 and again in July 2025, leading to the trial's adjournment. The judge found him in contempt of court due to his repeated non-attendance and fabrication of excuses, such as hospital appointments and death threats that were later proven false. Nkatha was ordered to pay R10,000 (half suspended) or serve 12 months in prison, with the outcome to be reported to the Legal Practice Council and Magistrates’ Commission.
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