By Lwandile Hlekwayo
The idea that criminals run rampant without any repercussions has been the lens through which we view our society in this democratic age. This rhetoric is not apparent for Kyle May (33), who on Tuesday was sentenced to a year in prison for malicious injury to property at the Ethekwini Magistrate’s Court.
May, who is a repeat offender, could not be given the maximum sentence for his actions as his previous convictions were now older than 10 years. The courtroom was stunned to hear the magistrate speak strongly about May, as she believed he had not learnt anything from his previous encounters with Westville Prison. The magistrate also exposed the State’s negligence in charging May with malicious injury to property instead of attempted theft, as she stated that “nobody damages a gate motor with the intent to not enter and steal”.
The courtroom’s silence was deafening as the public watched the magistrate flex her might as she reprimanded May in a manner a parent would scold her child. The magistrate reminded May that going forward he cannot refer to himself as a primary caregiver to his child if he is in and out of prison. An error from the State led to May not being charged with attempted theft, and this led to him being sentenced to a year in prison. This highlights the important role police play in ensuring that offenders are charged accordingly, as mistakes such as these have serious repercussions.
May was arrested on the 14th of June 2025 after damaging the gate motor of a Durban property. The owner of the property triggered a silent alarm and Blue Security responded swiftly to apprehend May as they waited for the police to arrest him. The average South African is not privy to such information as we are constantly bombarded with news that unintentionally perpetuates hopelessness in our justice system and therefore is under the impression that criminals are constantly getting away with crime.
Kyle May will spend the next year in Westville Prison, proof that the system can work when all its parts align. His case won’t make national headlines or shift public perception overnight, but it represents a small victory in the daily grind of criminal justice. The magistrate delivered justice within the constraints she was given, even as she called out the State’s failure to charge appropriately. For the Durban homeowner whose property May targeted, and for the community Blue Security serves, this conviction matters. Perhaps the real story isn’t whether criminals face consequences—it’s whether we’re paying attention when they do.