CAPE TOWN – Ayanda Dayi (34) has been sentenced to four life terms plus 102 years direct imprisonment for a series of gruesome murders in Delft and Du Noon in 2024.
The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that the sentence on Tuesday 24 February follows his conviction last week for killing four men and committing multiple violent offences, including robbery and illegal possession of firearms. The case was heard in the circuit court at the Wynberg Regional Court in Cape Town.
According to Eric Ntabazalila, regional communications manager for the NPA in the Western Cape, the accused and his co-accused displayed extreme cruelty against unsuspecting unarmed victims who never showed any resistance.
“He is an extreme danger to society, and this sentence fits the cruel crimes he committed.”
Dayi’s crimes included fatally shooting two men in a Sasko bread delivery truck and injuring another on Symphony Way, Delft, on 16 May 2024, while they were delivering bread. The case sent shockwaves through the country, and footage of the incident, in which the workers were shot at close range in the white Isuzu truck, was widely shared on social media.
Two other men were fatally shot during a hijacking in Du Noon on 24 January 2024. Surveillance footage and forensic evidence linked Dayi to the attacks.
Ntabazalila described the premeditated nature of the attacks: “These were not spontaneous acts of violence. They were planned and premeditated. Within five months, the accused executed four separate killings. Each act required decision, preparation, and execution. Each time, he chose to pull the trigger.”
Regarding Dayi’s lack of remorse, he added: “Despite overwhelming evidence against him, he persists in maintaining his innocence. There has been no acknowledgement of wrongdoing, no insight into the harm caused, and no expression of regret toward the victims or their families. This man poses a high risk of future violent conduct.”
The prosecution, led by Senior State Advocate Esna Erasmus in collaboration with Lieutenant Colonel Adrian Pretorius, meticulously built the case. “Even facial recognition technology was used to link the accused to the crimes,” Ntabazalila noted.
“The families of the victims have been condemned to a different kind of life sentence because of permanent grief, trauma, nightmares, and irreplaceable loss. We hope this sentence gives them some solace.”
Dayi’s criminal history includes a 2002 robbery, a 2007 rape for which he served 18 years, and a parole period that he abused by committing these violent offences.
“The fact that he re-offended while benefiting from conditional release shows a blatant disregard for the law and for leniency previously extended to him,” said Ntabazalila.
“Human life is priceless, and we remain vigorous in pursuing these cases to deter would-be murderers. The protection of society must take precedence,” Ntabazalila concluded.
Dayi was also found guilty of attempted murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft, and multiple counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The court declared him unfit to possess a firearm.”
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