Gqeba Mzwandile, born on 6 June 1965, left his schooling at Standard 5 due to financial constraints. Thereafter he had some casual jobs; he helped run his family’s shack shop in the township of NAME. Mzwandile had one brother and two sisters.
Gqeba Mzwandile was sentenced to death at the age of 23 at the Supreme Court of Port Alfred in June, 1987. Along with 14 others, they were accused of the murder of Nosipho Zamela, who was 18 at the time. Six of the co-accused, including Mzwandile, later becomes known as the Queenstown Six, as they were sentenced to death under the doctrine of common purpose.