KwaZulu-Natal musician gunned down in shootout with NIU police
Sakhengaye, real name Thandazani Mncwango, performing on stage at a maskandi show. The artist died on Thursday during a confrontation with the police after being on the run since last month for various crimes including murder.
Image: Facebook
A WANTED maskandi musician, Sakhengaye, was shot dead during a confrontation with police in Nkwalini, near eShowe, on Thursday.
The 35-year-old futigive, whose real name is Thandazani Mncwango, was fatally wounded during a shootout with the National Intervention Unit (NIU) from the South African Police Service (SAPS).
According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, officers had been tracking the suspect following intelligence that he was travelling towards Vryheid.
The upcoming maskandi musician, Sakhengaye, real name Thandazani Mncwango was shot dead by the police during a confrontation on Thursday. The artist was wanted for various crimes including murder.
Image: Facebook
"A 35-year-old suspect who was wanted for several cases, including murder, was fatally shot in a shootout with police at Nkwalini in Eshowe on Thursday," said Netshiunda.
"Police received intelligence that the suspect they were looking for was travelling towards Vryheid, and police intercepted the vehicle just after the uMhlathuze Bridge. A shootout ensued between the suspect and police, and during the shootout, the suspect was shot and fatally wounded. No police officer was injured during the shootout."
Reports indicated that members of the police’s National Intervention Unit confronted the musician after he allegedly emerged from a hiding place near Ndundulu, outside Melmoth. Sources claimed he had been linked to several murder investigations, including the recent killing of a woman in Mthunzini.
A poster of the community radio station, Journey FM, earlier this year congratulating maskandi artist Sakhengaye on his Song of the Year win for his hit "Sithombe Sengane". On Thursday the artist lay dead after he came short in a gun confrontation with the police in Melmoth en route to Vryheid.
Image: Facebook
The victim’s body was discovered on January 14 with her throat slit and dumped in an open area. Investigators reportedly connected Mncwango to the case shortly after his release from prison, where he had been serving a 15-year sentence for the murder of a woman from the Nxumalo family in Nseleni.
It is alleged that the relationship between the pair began while he was incarcerated and became serious enough for him to send a lobolo delegation to her family while behind bars. The relationship later deteriorated after the woman allegedly became pregnant by another man, ending up with her murder upon Mncwango's release.
Mncwango had apparently fled his home and lived by hiding as he was a fugitive.
Despite his criminal record, Sakhengaye had begun gaining traction in the maskandi music scene. His song Isithombe Sengane was voted Song of the Year for 2025 on community radio station Journey FM during its New Year crossover show into 2026.
The track formed part of his 2025 EP Ngabe Ngiyakwebela, while his earlier 2024 project Hamba Kuhlupheka featured popular songs including Ngixolele Dali. The deceased burst into the music scene as a dreadlocked youngster in 2018 with various singles and released his debut album Isililo in 2021 followed by the sophomore, Iphutha in 2022.