Youth Gets 15 Years for Revenge-Driven Stabbing in Nxuba (Cradock)

Nxuba (Cradock), Eastern Cape – A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the attempted murder of a local man in a shocking revenge attack last December.

The Nxuba (Cradock) Regional Court handed down the sentence to Iviwe Zwide for the stabbing of Luyolo Dusubana (22) on 22 December 2024, on Third Avenue in Nxuba (Cradock). The attack occurred as Dusubana was driving a white Mercedes-Benz to a homecoming event, accompanied by friends in separate vehicles.

Court testimony revealed that Dusubana had stopped to close a malfunctioning passenger door when Zwide approached him. The accused confronted Dusubana, asking whether he remembered him, before launching a brutal attack. The incident was reportedly linked to a previous altercation involving Zwide’s girlfriend.

Dusubana was overpowered and stabbed multiple times, leaving him seriously injured on the street. Passersby intervened, and Dusubana’s friends returned to find him bleeding. He was rushed to hospital for urgent medical treatment.

Zwide was arrested on 3 January 2025 after Dusubana formally opened a case following his discharge from hospital. During the trial, Zwide pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defence. The court rejected this version, ruling the attack was premeditated and deliberate.

State Prosecutor Makabongwe Seyibokwe presented key evidence, including a J88 medical report confirming the life-threatening nature of Dusubana’s injuries, alongside testimony from the victim and two eyewitnesses. The court highlighted the severity of the crime, the victim’s vulnerability, and the wider impact on the community. With no mitigating circumstances, the court imposed the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.

Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo, welcomed the sentence, saying: “This sends a strong message that acts of violence will not be tolerated. From the swift police response to the thorough investigation and dedicated prosecution, justice has been served.”

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) emphasised its ongoing commitment to holding violent criminals accountable and safeguarding victims across the province.