NXUBA MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR STABBING LOVER IN JEALOUS RAGE 

26 August 2025 

NXUBA MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR STABBING LOVER IN JEALOUS RAGE 

Nxuba, Eastern Cape – The Nxuba Regional Court (formerly Cradock) has sentenced Aphiwe Hani (31) to 20 years’ direct imprisonment for the attempted murder of his girlfriend. The brutal attack took place in the early hours of 14 October 2024 following a night out at Sydwel’s Tavern near Eluxolweni Stadium in Lingelihle. The couple had been socialising when the victim encountered her cousin and asked him to walk her home. As they neared her house, Hani confronted them, accusing them of leaving without him. A verbal altercation broke out between Hani and the cousin, escalating into a physical fight, which the girlfriend managed to break up. 

After the scuffle, the woman continued walking home alone. Hani followed her and, without warning, attacked her from behind, stabbing her multiple times. Initially thinking she was being punched, she realised the severity of the assault only when she felt blood and cried out: “Aphiwe, you’re killing me!” Her cousin, who had already started walking away, heard her screams and rushed back. On noticing someone approaching, Hani fled. An ambulance driving on the N10 was flagged down but did not stop. In an unexpected twist, Hani later appeared from that same ambulance, claiming that he, too, had been stabbed. 

The victim was rushed to the hospital, where she spent several days receiving treatment for life-threatening injuries. She later opened a case, and Hani was arrested on 18 October 2024. Bail was successfully opposed, and he remained in custody throughout the trial. Although he pleaded not guilty, he falsely claimed not to know who had stabbed the complainant. 

During sentencing proceedings, Regional Court Prosecutor Makabongwe Seyibokwe highlighted the brutality of the attack, the betrayal of trust in an intimate relationship, and the complainant’s vulnerability. He argued that the court should impose the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. While acknowledging that the crime qualified for life imprisonment, the court found substantial and compelling circumstances to impose a lesser sentence, including the accused’s status as a first-time offender, his age, and prospects of rehabilitation. Hani was sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm. 

Welcoming the sentence, Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Barry Madolo, said: “This sentence sends a strong message that gender-based violence, especially in intimate relationships, will not be tolerated. The attack on Ms Mtshatsha was brutal and unprovoked. The accused followed her, waited for an opportunity, and tried to end her life. We commend the bravery of the complainant in surviving and testifying, as well as the swift response of her cousin and medical services.” 

Issued by: 

Luxolo Tyali 

NPA Regional Spokesperson 

Eastern Cape Division 

Tel: 047 501 2630 

Email: ltyali@npa.gov.za 

Cell: 073 555 9292 

Enquiries: Nokuthula Makupula

Email: nmakupula@npa.gov.za | Cell: 068 268 2473