LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR FEMICIDE 

04 NOVEMBER 2025 

LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR FEMICIDE 

The Ngwelezane Regional Court has sentenced a 44-year-old man to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner in December 2024 in the Oqwaleni area. The couple were in a love relationship, and they lived with their two minor children. 

On 05 December 2024, the deceased was celebrating one of the children’s birthdays with the other tenants who lived near them. At some point, the accused, who was sitting inside the room, went outside to where the deceased was. He hit her with an open hand and told her to go inside. Once they were inside, he punched her on her face and then hit her with a knobkerrie all over her body. He then took a broomstick and beat her untiitck broke. Thereafter, the accused grabbed the deceased and pushed her forcefully against a table, which was next to the bed. She sustained a broken neck from that push and became unconscious. The accused took her to a nearby clinic where she was declared dead. The medical staff then contacted the police, and the accused was subsequently arrested. 

During court proceedings, Prosecutor Russell Mngoma led the evidence of the couple’s minor son, who had witnessed the entire incident together with his younger sibling. The child described the entire incident in detail, and he mentioned that his father often hit his mother. The court also heard the evidence of a neighbour who heard the accused hitting the deceased before her death. The neighbour said that the accused often hit the deceased, and when the neighbours intervened, the couple would make up and then be angry with them. A medical doctor also testified, saying the deceased had died due to dislocated bones in her neck. 

To further bolster the state’s case. Mr Mngoma handed in Victim Impact Statements (VIS) compiled by the couple’s son and the deceased’s mother and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Saneliso Magdaline Sibanda. In his statement, the boy said that his mother died because his father hit her on his birthday. He said that it was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, but it became gloomy and sad because of what his father did. The deceased’s mother said that their family has suffered a massive loss and that the children are not coping well with the loss of their mother. 

The accused was sentenced accordingly and declared unfit to possess a firearm. The NPA welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter. We appeal to members of the community to come forward and speak out against gender-based violence. Curbing the scourge of gender-based violence is a priority for the organisation. 

Issued by: 

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara 

NPA Regional Spokesperson 

KZN Division 

0716700229