Lucky Dube's band members welcomed the sentence imposed on his killers on Thursday and vowed to keep his legacy alive.

"We have to continue with a message of peace, love and unity. I feel it's part of my responsibility as a band member to honour his legacy by carrying on with his work," band member Thuthukani Cele said after the sentencing at the High Court in Johannesburg.

The reggae icon's three killers were earlier sentenced to life imprisonment.

Sifiso Mhlanga, Julius Gxowa and Mbuti Mabe got an additional 15 years each for the attempted hijacking of Dube's car in Rosettenville on 18 October 2007. They were also sentenced to 18 years each for hijacking a black Mercedes Benz two days after Dube's murder. Gxowa got an additional 18 years for hijacking a VW Polo used as a getaway car following Dube's murder.

Judge Seun Moshidi further sentenced Mhlanga and Gxowa to five years for possessing an unlicensed firearm. Mabe got an additional two years for illegally possessing ammunition.

The judge ordered that the men be declared unfit to possess firearms.

Tearful Lucky Dube fans, some in colourful Rastafarian gear, stood outside the court for almost an hour after the sentence was passed, waiting for Dube's relatives to emerge from the building.

Some were seen carrying posters that read: "Go and rot in jail", "These devils have killed the reggae king", "These hooligans don't belong to the civilised society" and "Justice is done, though Lucky Dube won't come back to life".

Members of the Nazareth Baptist Church (popularly known as the Shembe Church), were also in the public gallery during sentencing. They clapped and cheered as Dube's relatives broke down in tears when Moshidi announced the sentence.

Dube's widow, Zanele cried uncontrollably outside the court afterwards.