The man who killed an elderly brother and sister was given two life sentences by the Durban High Court on Monday.
The court gave Mario Tsware, 29, two life sentences on both counts of murder and 30 years on two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Tsware confessed to killing his gay partner Dennis Roberts, 75, and his sister Crystal Roberts, 71, and to two counts of robbery
with aggravating circumstances.
They were murdered late in November and Tsware was arrested a few days later at Tsolo in the Eastern Cape.
Acting Judge Karthy Govender said there were no compelling circumstances justifying the reduction of the sentence, saying that the killings were well planned.
According to the evidence presented in court, Tsware first met Dennis in June through a gay internet site and they began a relationship.
When Tsware lost his job in August Dennis invited him to live with his sister at their Begonia Road home.
However, because Crystal disliked him, Dennis rented him a flat in South Beach, paying for the rent.
Dennis Roberts eventually moved in with Tsware, but their relationship soured when Dennis constantly wanted sex and threatened to withhold groceries and rent if he did not get what he wanted.
Roberts moved out, stopped paying rent and cancelled the lease, leaving Tsware feeling "abandoned and abused".
Tsware lured Roberts to a Durban hotel where he and his accomplice strangled him with an electrical cord and took his car, money and bank card.
They then went to Crystal's house to find Roberts' cellphone and laptop, as Tsware believed it would lead the police to him.
When he and his accomplice arrived they found Crystal Roberts and killed her.
Police were still looking for Tsware's accomplice.
Govender described Roberts as a generous man who helped Tsware a lot. (Sapa)
