The sister of slain Nothemba Ndondo, who was raped and murdered by Khangayi Sedumedi, is satisfied that her sibling’s killer will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Serial killer Sedumedi has been handed seven life sentences after he admitted to the rape and murder of four women near Century City between November 2011 and January 2015.
“We are happy that he will be behind bars for a long time, but my sister suffered. He must rot in jail because even this will never bring back Nothemba,” said Belinda Ndondo.
Sedumedi, 32, raped and killed Ms Ndondo on December 16, 2014, Anathi Mali on September 16 that year, Sinazo Ntlaka on January 6 last year, and another woman who could not be identified. The youngest rape victim was a 15-year-old girl.
On Thursday June 9, Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe sentenced Sedumedi to seven life terms, plus 40 years’ direct imprisonment.
The life sentences will run concurrently. Judge Hlophe told the court that it was the largest sentence he had ever handed down in his career.
State Advocate Mornay Julius, who secured Sedumedi’s plea agreement, said the sentence was appropriate considering the type of crimes that were committed against “defenceless young women”.
“The actions of the accused throughout were premeditated and well planned with devastating consequences.
“The occurrence of serious and violent crime against women and children has reached alarming proportions in our society,” Mr Julius said.
National Prosecuting Agency spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said: “We hope the families will find some closure after this sentence. It’s a wound that will not be able to heal, but we did all we could to ensure a long sentence.”
The court declared Sedumedi unfit to own a firearm, and for his name to be entered in the national register for sex offenders.
Sedumedi pleaded guilty to 21 of 23 charges which included eight of rape, four of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, assault and kidnapping.
Two of the charges were withdrawn.
Many of Sedumedi’s victims were young job-seekers who had just finished matric. The Gugulethu man lured them with job opportunities and obtained their contact details.
He would then contact his victims under the guise that he had secured job interviews for them.
Sedumedi afterwards arranged dates to meet at Century City, and would ambush the women on their way to the fictitious interview. He used a knife and a toy gun to force them into submission before tying them up.
Sedumedi told prosecutors that his mother had “disappeared without a trace” when he was 13 years old, leaving him lonely.
He said this “served as his motivation in that his aforementioned conduct made him feel better”.
He admitted he had intent to rape his victims, and he murdered the four victims so that they could not identify him.
– Cape Times
