Life terms for taxi boss killers

Petermaritzburg - Two men hired to kill a taxi boss were given life sentences in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.

Taxi driver Kwaza Gwala, 27, who was fired by his boss Johannes Tshoba for drunken driving, and Lindelani Mthunzi, 24, shot dead Tshoba at his home in October 2011.

A woman was wounded in the shooting and died three days later in hospital.

During the trial, the court heard how Gwala and Mthunzi were promised a car if they murdered Tshoba, but never received it.

Mthunzi was given an additional 25 years' jail time for killing the woman. Judge David Ntshangase said he escaped a second life sentence as he had not gone to Tshoba's house with the intention of murdering her.

The 25 years would run concurrently with his life term. Ntshangase refused the men leave to appeal their convictions and sentences. - Sapa