Parolee and Serial Killer Ayanda Dayi Handed Four Life Sentences for Four Murders in Western Cape

CAPE TOWN – The Wynberg Regional Court sentenced 42-year-old Ayanda Dayi to four terms of life imprisonment on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, after convicting him of the murders of four men in separate attacks across the Western Cape in 2024.

Dayi, who was on parole at the time of the offences, was also found guilty of attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and multiple counts involving the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. In addition to the life sentences, the court imposed a 15-year term for robbery with aggravating circumstances, three 15-year sentences for the illegal possession of firearms, a four-year sentence for illegal possession of ammunition, and a 10-year sentence for attempted murder. Dayi was declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The convictions relate to two separate incidents earlier in 2024. On 16 May 2024, Dayi and an accomplice stopped a Sasko bread delivery truck on Symphony Way in Delft. The two delivery workers were shot and killed while making a routine bread delivery to a spaza shop, even though they offered no resistance. Video footage of the shooting, which was widely shared on social media, drew widespread public condemnation.

Earlier that year, Dayi shot and killed two unarmed men in Dunoon before hijacking their vehicle.

Dayi had prior convictions for rape and robbery and was serving a parole period when he committed the 2024 killings.

Western Cape Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile welcomed the outcome of the case. He commended the investigative team and the prosecution for their work in securing the convictions and ensuring accountability for the families of the four victims.

The sentencing brings to a close a high-profile case that involved coordinated police work across multiple Western Cape areas and focused attention on violent crime linked to repeat offenders. All four murder victims were men who were going about their daily work or travel when they were attacked.

Primary School Teacher Killed in Taxi Collision on Botfontein Road While Heading to Kraaifontein School

Annie Newing, a 58-year-old Grade 1 teacher at Watsonia Park Primary School in Kraaifontein, died on Friday morning after a collision with a taxi on Botfonteinweg.

The incident occurred around 05:50 when Newing was driving her red car on her regular route to school. According to eyewitness accounts reported by her family, the taxi overtook on a hill, resulting in the collision.

Newing was still alive when emergency services arrived at the scene. She was transported to Tygerberg Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries later that morning.

Newing followed the same routine every school day. She would first stop at the home of her sister Jeanie Matroos (65), who operates a crèche, before continuing to Watsonia Park Primary. Matroos used Newing’s car to collect children for the crèche.

On Friday morning, Newing did not arrive at her sister’s home at the expected time. Matroos became concerned and was later informed of a major accident involving a taxi and a red car on Botfonteinweg. Family members were already at the scene when Matroos arrived.

Matroos knelt beside her injured sister and told her: “Sis, moenie bekommerd wees nie. Ek is hier.” Newing was described by her sister as broken and vulnerable but still present at that moment.

Newing had been teaching at Watsonia Park Primary for 11 years. She was one of five sisters and was known within the family for arriving at school earlier than others on winter mornings to ensure the classroom was warm for the children before they arrived.

The day before the accident, Newing shared a testimony in church stating she was ready if the Lord should come at any time. Her final WhatsApp status before leaving home on Friday morning was the Bible verse from Acts 20:24.

No further details on the taxi driver, road conditions beyond the overtaking on the hill, or official police statements have been released at this time.

Triple Tragedy in Tongaat: 37-Year-Old Man and His Two Daughters Found Dead in Belvedere Home

Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal – On Tuesday, 24 February 2026, the bodies of 37-year-old Leon Munsamy and his daughters, Emilia (4) and Elana (7), were discovered at a home in the Sastri Circle neighbourhood of Belvedere, Tongaat.

A school transporter contacted the girls’ mother after the children did not arrive at school that day. Neighbours reported attempting to call Munsamy with no response. Private security company On Target was alerted at approximately 1:20 pm. Officers found the house locked and could not gain immediate entry.

Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) officers were dispatched around 2 pm. Upon arrival, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other emergency services were already on scene. Inside the residence, Munsamy was found hanged from the ceiling. The two girls were found dead in a bedroom.

It is alleged that Munsamy poisoned his daughters before taking his own life. The children were reported to have frothing at the mouths. The incident is believed to have occurred the previous night.

Munsamy, who worked for a petroleum company, had been living at the Belvedere address since June. He was separated from his wife, and the daughters resided primarily with their mother, spending weekends with their father.

Neighbours noted hearing loud music from the property the previous evening but raised no immediate concerns.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation by SAPS. No further details on toxicology or official cause of death have been released.

RUSA head Prem Balram stated: “Reaction officers were immediately dispatched to the property in Sastri Circle, Belvedere. Upon arrival, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other private emergency services were already on scene. It was established that the body of a male was located hanging inside the residence. During further assessment of the property, two female children aged four and seven were found dead in a bedroom. Circumstances leading up to the minors’ deaths are subject to investigation.”

Tragic Kidnapping in Toekomsrus Leads to Discovery of One Victim’s Body

Randfontein, West Rand – February 25, 2026

Authorities are intensifying efforts following the kidnapping of two young men in Toekomsrus, a area outside Randfontein on the West Rand. The incident occurred on February 15, and has since resulted in the recovery of one victim’s body from an abandoned mine shaft.

The body of 21-year-old Ashley Scheepers was found in the disused shaft, confirming a grim outcome for one of the victims. The other individual, a 17-year-old male, is still unaccounted for, with search operations ongoing to locate him.

Investigators have linked the case to alleged activities by “Zama Zamas,” a term used for illegal miners who frequently operate within abandoned mining sites. These locations in parts of Gauteng are known for their structural instability and have been connected to various criminal incidents over recent years.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is leading the investigation into the kidnapping and related events. Current priorities include advancing the probe, coordinating search and rescue initiatives for the missing teenager, and implementing safety protocols for communities near these hazardous abandoned mines.

Local residents have expressed heightened concerns about the risks posed by such sites, which continue to attract unauthorized mining operations despite their dangers. Officials have not released further details on suspects or motives at this time, as the case remains active.

Major Drug Lab Uncovered in Umhlatuzana During Multi-Agency Operation in Chatsworth

Chatsworth, South Africa – Authorities have discovered a significant drug laboratory in the Umhlatuzana area as part of ongoing disruptive operations aimed at combating illegal activities in Chatsworth.

The operation involved a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement units, including the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the South African Police Service (SAPS) Special Task Force (STF), the SAPS Economic Infrastructure Task Team, the SAPS KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Counter Narcotics unit, the SAPS KZN Crime Intelligence (CI), the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs Dog Unit, and various divisions of the Metro Police such as the Drug Team, Tactical Support Unit, Economic Infrastructure Task Team (EITT), Trio Crimes unit, Business Forum Task Team, Special Projects unit, K9 unit, and Public Order Policing (POP).

During the raid, several suspects were detained at the scene. Among those taken into custody was the property owner, who had been arrested previously by the Metro Police Tactical Support Unit in the prior year.

Inside the premises, law enforcement officials recovered drugs, firearms, and packaging materials. The exact quantities of the seized items are currently under assessment as the investigation continues.

Preliminary findings indicate that the laboratory served as a primary supplier for drug dealers operating in the surrounding area, highlighting its role in the local narcotics distribution network.

The operation underscores the collaborative approach by various agencies to address drug-related crimes in the region. Further details on the arrests and seizures are expected as the quantities are finalized and the case progresses.

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