The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government on Monday joined the South African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) in welcoming the conviction and sentencing of the first of the men involved in the David Rattray murder.
The sentence given to the man fitted the crime, said KwaZulu-Natal provincial minister of arts and culture Weziwe Thusi.
”I hope it will serve as a deterrent to other criminals,” she said in a statement.
”The department welcomes the sentencing and would like to thank the police for their swift action in this case. They [police] restored KwaZulu-Natal’s status as the country’s number one tourist destination,” Thusi said.
The man, a member of the gang which murdered the Anglo-Zulu war historian and raconteur, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment by Judge Jan Hugo in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.
Rattray (48) was attacked and killed at his lodge at Rorke’s Drift on January 26.
Fethe Nkwanyana was arrested four days later.
He pleaded guilty to the murder on Friday, while another man — also arrested in connection with the murder — appeared in the Dundee Magistrate’s Court on the same day.
Satsa earlier on Monday said it was ”very” impressed with Nkwanyana’s sentencing.
”This rapid conviction and sentencing will do much to restore confidence, both in South Africa and abroad, in the government’s ability to tackle crime,” the association’s chief executive Michael Tatalias said.
Tatalias said Nkwanyana’s sentencing would assist the tourism industry in its efforts to recover from the ”awful” impact the murder had on tourism.
”Satsa would like to commend the police for their fast reaction and thorough investigation that has led to this conviction and sentencing of the first perpetrator.
”We really appreciate that a special investigative task force with senior detectives was set up, as this has clearly led to the very positive and rapid result,” said Tatalias.
He called on the government to support the allocation of necessary resources to increase police’s ability to fight crime.
”Clearly the police have the skills and experience necessary. Their capabilities should only be expanded and this country would be much safer,” said Tatalias. — Sapa