People in the public gallery of the Pietermaritzburg high court applauded on Thursday as three men were led away to begin serving life sentences in prison for killing a man.

They gunned him down in front of commuters at a taxi rank last November.

In sentencing Albert Shange, 31, Qinisela Shange, 21, and Mthokozisi Ngcobo, 23, all of Umbumbulu, for murdering Eugine Boy Langa, Justice Squires said this was the "worst" type of murder.

The victim had not been known to the accused and had done nothing to them.

'Callous Slaughter'

He was executed in cold blood on the instructions of others.

According to evidence, Langa operated a taxi service in Creighton near Bulwer in the Midlands.

Several stock thefts had taken place in the area where Langa lived. Members of the Mdladla family suspected him of being involved in the thefts and decided to kill him.

The accused were hired to carry out the murder.

On the morning of November 18 last year, they armed themselves and waited for Langa at the taxi rank.

In full view of the public, the accused approached Langa at the rank and opened fire on him.

When a bystander produced a gun and began shooting at the accused, they fled to a nearby house.

Members of the community surrounded the premises, preventing the accused from leaving until the police arrived and arrested them.

Justice Squires said not only could he not find any compelling or substantial circumstances to justify a lesser sentence than the prescribed minimum of life imprisonment, but the facts of the case were such that in his view this was "the least the accused deserved".

He said Langa was callously gunned down, his family were deprived of a breadwinner and the community had been shocked and horrified by what amounted to a "callous slaughter" in front of them.

In addition, the accused were each sentenced to 15 years in prison for unlawfully possessing guns, which included two semi-automatic pistols, and ammunition.

With acknowledgement to Ingrid Oellermann and Independent Online.