The 12 men found guilty of what became known as the 'Jeppestown massacre', will be sentenced in the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday.

Twelve civilians and four policemen were killed in a shootout at a house in Mordaunt street, Jeppestown, on Sunday, 25 June, 2006 in the aftermath of a robbery at a Pick 'n Pay supermarket in Honeydew, on the West Rand.

Inspectors Frederick 'Frikkie' van Heerden (32) and Victor Nzama Mathye (49), both of the West Rand dog unit; Sergeant Gert Schoeman (30), of the West Rand emergency response service; and Constable Pieter Seaward (31), of the Johannesburg dog unit, died in the stand-off.

Van Heerden's wife Leonie, also a police officer, was injured and security guard Obert Tshivhinda and shopper Johannes van der Merwe were shot and injured at the supermarket.

The charges against the men ranged from murder to illegal possession of firearms.

They were convicted of robbing the supermarket, then fleeing for cover to the house on the eastern side of Johannesburg.

During the trial, some said they were merely in the house to consult a traditional healer who practised from the premises.

Police surrounded the house to apprehend the gang, but a shootout ensued.

Photographs presented during the trial captured the tragedy of the events, with policemen who had managed to enter the house slumped next to each other in their bullet-proof vests and the civilians sprawled throughout the house. One man had tried to escape through the roof.

At the policemen's memorial service, Gauteng Commissioner Oswald Reddy said: "When the shootout stopped and the gun battle ended we entered the house and were horrified by what we saw. It was like a war zone. There were bodies everywhere.

"It was evidence to all of us that these policemen paid with their lives."

The 12 men, and Pick 'n Pay employee, Dineo Maleke, who was in a relationship with one of the robbers, were subsequently arrested.

Maleke was acquitted because there was not enough evidence to convict her.

Her boyfriend Senzo Emmanuel Mweli was convicted of murder, however, he had not been charged with the crime and the conviction was later recalled. He was instead found guilty of robbery and attempted murder.

The tragedy created debate over police preparedness for such situations, and the extent to which policemen under threat may return fire.

Over 40 witnesses testified during the trial — including a woman who was confronted in the parking lot before the robbery and a shopper who hid his wallet in a display of tomatoes.

Sapa