Convicted murderer Kirk Daniels was sentenced to 68 years in prison for two separate cases in the Mitchell’s Plain Regional Court on Friday February 7 and Thursday February 13, but will only spend 25 years behind bars.

Mr Daniels, 30, was sentenced to 53 years in prison on February 7, almost five years after fatally shooting two people and wounding another at a birthday party in Garcia Street, Tafelsig on April 19, 2019.

According to a provincial police statement, Mr Daniels was found guilty on two counts of murder, attempted murder and possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition at the Mitchell’s Plain Regional Court on November 6, 2024.

He was sentenced to 15 years for each of the murder charges, eight years for the attempted murder charge, 10 years for possession of an illegal firearm and five years for possession of illegal ammunition.

On Thursday February 13, Mr Daniels was sentenced to another 15 years in prison for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition, linked to his arrest during an anti-gang crime prevention operation in Kardouw Street, Tafelsig on May 18, 2021.

Both cases were investigated by Detective-Sergeant Bradley Schuurman of the police’s anti-gang unit.

Western Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-general (Adv.) Thembisile Patekile welcomed Mr Daniels’ conviction and sentencing.

He also commended Detective-Sergeant Schuurman “for his meticulous investigation and the prosecution team for the successful prosecution.”

“Anti-gang unit detectives were activated and attended to the [Garcia Street] crime scene where numerous statements were obtained from witnesses linking 30-year-old Kirk Daniels.

“Tracing operations were conducted and Kirk Daniels was arrested but the case was later withdrawn against him as witnesses did not want to testify.

“The accused was then released in 2021. Later the accused was arrested again for possession of [a] firearm.

“The investigating officer worked day and night to ensure that the accused does not get released. He then spoke to the witnesses of the murder case and the case was put back on the court roll,” the police said in its statement.

Eric Ntabazalila, National Prosecuting Authority’s Western Cape spokesperson, confirmed on Monday February 17, that the accused will only serve an effective 25 year imprisonment.

“The effective sentence is 15 years in the matter involving the two murders. All the sentences run concurrently.

“He was also sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for the illegal possession of a firearm.

“The court ordered five years of the latter sentence to run concurrently with the 15 years imprisonment, which effectively means he will serve 25 years imprisonment for both cases,” Mr Ntabazalila said.

The Mitchell’s Plain community police forum (CPF) has welcomed Mr Daniels’ conviction but voiced its concern that his concurrent jail time will not deter other criminals.

“The CPF welcomes the sentence laid down. Our only concerned we have is that these sentences are normally served concurrently and we know it is not really serving as a deterrent to would-be offenders.

“However, we wish to say thank you to everyone involved in the matter that gave us as the community and the victims’ families some hope in the system,” said Linda Jones, Mitchell’s Plain CPF public relations officer.