Former South African councillor sentenced to 4 life terms for brutal murder of his partner and 3 children

Monday, June 2, 2025 - Former Democratic Alliance PR councillor Michael Buthelezi was sentenced to four life terms in prison by the Ladysmith Regional Court for the brutal murd3r of his partner and three children in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal.

The court found Buthelezi guilty of killing Khombisile Nyoka, 41, and their three children:12-year-old Lubanzi Buthelezi, nine-year-old Zigizemdoda Buthelezi, and two-year-old Sibingele Buthelezi in October 2023. He was also sentenced to an additional 15 years for two counts of defeating the ends of justice and arson.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, Buthelezi set fire to the two-room house where his family was sleeping, burning them alive. He survived the blaze with only minor injuries and initially claimed he had been attacked due to his anti-corruption stance.

The case was initially investigated by the Political Killings Task Team, but Buthelezi’s account later changed, alleging that his partner’s ex-boyfriend had thrown a bomb into the house. However, police investigations found no evidence to support his claims.

“Police investigations proved that Buthelezi single-handedly killed his family and overwhelming evidence convinced the court to hand down maximum sentence,” Netshiunda said.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi commended the investigative team for uncovering the truth behind the murders.

“It takes dedication and paying attention to every detail to detect untruths from purported victims and we applaud our investigators for digging out facts and presenting strong evidence before the court,” Mkhwanazi said.