The Mthatha High Court has sentenced four members of the Mancoba Seven Angels church for their involvement in the 2018 Ngcobo police station massacre. Andani Monco (36), Kwanele Ndlwana (28), Siphosomzi Tshefu, and Phumzile Mhlatywa (51) were convicted of five counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and several other crimes including robbery, possession of illegal firearms, and housebreaking. Their sentences will run concurrently with five life sentences, with Monco serving 35 years, Mhlatywa 25 years, and both Ndlwana and Tshefu 40 years.
The massacre occurred on 21 February 2018 when five police officers were killed, and firearms were stolen during an armed attack on the Ngcobo police station. The perpetrators, who also attempted to rob a Capitec ATM, were arrested days later after a shootout with the police, which left seven other cult members dead. The accused had been in custody since their arrests.
A co-accused, Siphesihle Tatsi, was sentenced in July 2023 to an effective 18 years in prison as part of a 241-year sentence, having pleaded guilty to the charges. The remaining four were convicted in May 2024 after opting for a trial. Sentencing had been delayed several times until the final decision on 16 October 2024.
