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Murder 'destroyed two families'
24/01/2007 20:49 - (SA)
Pietermaritzburg - A man who killed another in an argument had destroyed two families - the victim's and his own, said acting Judge Raj Badal in sentencing him in the High Court here on Wednesday.
When William Mbatha shot dead Estcourt farmer Rudolph van Zuydam, 49, the Van Zuydams were robbed of a husband and father of three, and Mbatha's extended family was left without support.
Mbatha had been self-supporting as a tree cutter.
The shooting occurred at an Estcourt garage where Van Zuydam's son, also Rudolph, worked as a mechanic.
In August 2004, Mbatha arrived at the garage and Rudolph jnr phoned his father to tell him Mbatha was there.
Labelled a poor witness
Van Zuydam snr went to the garage and he and Mbatha spoke, after which Mbatha shot him twice.
He fell to the ground, and Mbatha went to him and shot him in the head.
Mbatha never denied killing Van Zuydam, but said that he had done so because Van Zuydam had assaulted him with a metal object.
Mbatha's version was rejected and he was labelled as a poor witness who had lied.
The judge sentenced Mbatha to 20 years' imprisonment, but granted him leave to appeal against the sentence.
Judge Badal said the widespread practice of solving problems by ressorting violence had to stop.
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