Life Sentences Handed Down to Pastor and Son for Brutally Chopping Off The Hands of Alleged Thief in Mpumalanga

A Mpumalanga pastor and his son have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the horrific attack that left a 31-year-old man, Dumisani Mahlangu, without both hands. Apostle Solomon Mhlanga (66) and Enock Mhlanga (21) were found guilty of attempted murder and kidnapping by the eMalahleni Regional Court. The pastor’s daughter-in-law, Poppy, received a three-year sentence for her role in the crime.

Magistrate JJ Combrink delivered the verdict, stating the ruling sends a "clear message that vigilante acts will not be tolerated." The attack occurred in March last year after Mahlangu was accused of stealing from the church in Kwa-Guqa, Mpumalanga. He was abducted at gunpoint, assaulted, and driven to a secluded area where his hands were hacked off.

Mahlangu testified about the trauma, recalling the pastor’s chilling words: "Soldiers die in war," as he pleaded for mercy. The court heard how Mahlangu was left bleeding, with his severed hands lying beside him. He survived only because woodcutters found him.

Combrink highlighted the life-altering impact on Mahlangu, questioning, "How do you get along without hands? How do you do something simple like eat?" The magistrate condemned the accused’s lack of remorse, noting they showed "no mercy" and left Mahlangu to die.

The sentences:

Solomon Mhlanga and Enock Mhlanga: Life imprisonment (attempted murder) + 3 years (kidnapping).

Poppy: 3 years’ direct imprisonment (kidnapping).

The case sparked outrage, underscoring concerns about vigilante justice in communities. Mahlangu’s family expressed relief, while the community awaits justice. The sentences are a stark warning against taking the law into one’s own hands.