- A Secunda drug kingpin was sentenced to an effective 20 years direct imprisonment.
- Enzani Wiseman Shongwe and eight other members of the syndicate were caught in 2016.
- Shongwe's eight accomplices are serving a combined 144 years in jail.
A Secunda drug dealer has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for dealing and manufacturing drugs.
Enzani Wiseman Shongwe, 31, was sentenced by the Secunda Regional Court on Thursday.
Shongwe was arrested in August 2016, along with eight other members of the drug syndicate.
They were arrested by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime unit.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the "Project 24" operation targeted the manufacturing and dealing in drugs around Secunda.
Sekgotodi said the eight people arrested with Shongwe pleaded guilty in court. In 2018, they were sentenced to a total of 144 years combined imprisonment.
"However, Shongwe opted to go to trial and appeared several times in the Secunda Regional Court, whilst in custody since his arrest in 2016. Shongwe was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 15 years direct imprisonment on each of the three counts of dealing in drugs.
"The first two of the three sentences will run concurrently, and he will serve an effective 20 years direct imprisonment," said Sekgotodi.
