Zimbabwean pastor Solomon Mhlanga and his son, Enoch, were each sentenced to life imprisonment by the Witbank Regional Court in South Africa on November 24, 2025.
Mhlanga’s wife, Poppy, was also sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of kidnapping.
The trio had been convicted the previous Friday, 21 November, on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice.
The convictions stem from a violent incident in March 2024. The family accused a man, Dumisani Mahlangu, of stealing batteries and other items from their church.
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They confronted him while he was walking along Kroomdraai Road toward Extension 16 in Vosman, allegedly threatened him with a firearm, and forced him into their bakkie. He was then taken to a secluded bushy area with his hands and feet tied.
Court findings revealed that the attackers set their vehicle on fire, cut a tree branch, placed Mahlangu’s hands on it, and used a machete to chop them off.
His father, Johannes Mahlangu, also welcomed the verdict but said the consequences of the crime remained painful for the family. He urged the public not to resort to vigilante justice:
“The devil led this man to do what he did. I’m grateful the court gave him what he deserves. But it hurts knowing my son now depends entirely on me because he can’t do anything for himself.”
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