Kimberley, South Africa – A young man’s reign of terror through the streets of Kimberley has come to an end with a sentencing that will see him spend the next five decades behind bars. Jamaine Long, a 20-year-old from Galeshewe, has been convicted of two brutal murders and a series of violent assaults that left a community in shock.
Long’s criminal activities began when he was still a minor, but the severity of his crimes was far from juvenile. The incidents of violence that marked his presence in the city led to a tragic trail of blood and heartbreak.
The chaos started on February 13, 2022, at a tavern in Sobantu Township, where a patron was fatally stabbed and two others were seriously injured in a violent attack. Long was identified as the suspect, arrested, and charged. However, it was only the beginning of a pattern of brutality that would unfold over the following year.
In March 2023, another violent incident took place in Santa Zone 2, where Galeshewe police responded to a stabbing. Once again, Long was implicated, and the victim passed away in the hospital, solidifying Long’s reputation as a danger to society.
As the cases were brought together, the Kimberley High Court heard a chilling account of Long’s repeated acts of violence. He faced eight charges and was found guilty on all counts, including two counts of murder and assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.
In a decisive ruling, Long was sentenced to 40 years for the murders and an additional 10 years for the assaults, with the verdict also barring him from ever possessing a firearm. The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, commended the unwavering dedication of the Galeshewe Serious and Violent Crimes Investigation Unit in ensuring that justice was served.
Anyone with information on criminal activities is encouraged to come forward anonymously through the MySAPS app or Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111.