In a chilling case of domestic violence, two cousins have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a pregnant woman in KwaZulu-Natal's Msinga area. The victim’s five-year-old daughter witnessed the horrific attack, providing key testimony that led to the conviction. | Armand Hough/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — Two cousins have been sentenced for hacking a pregnant woman to death in December 2019 in the Msinga area of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Greytown Regional Court sentenced the two men, aged 21 and 28, to life imprisonment each, for murder.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the 28-year-old was in a relationship with the woman. Together they had a five-year-old daughter.
In 2018, the woman broke off their relationship because of the man’s violent nature and she obtained a protection order against him.
Ramkisson-Kara said that on December 2, 2019, the woman, who was pregnant with another man’s baby, was at her home with her daughter when the men broke down the door.
“They overpowered the woman and hacked her with a panga and a bush knife. She and the unborn child died following the attack which lasted approximately half an hour. Accused 1 then approached his five-year-old daughter intending to kill her, but he was stopped by his co-accused and they fled the scene. The child ran outside to get help from the neighbours,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
She said the men were arrested after surrendering to the police.
Ramkisson-Kara said that in court, Prosecutor Premie Naidoo led the child’s testimony, who had witnessed her mother’s attack. Evidence from neighbours who heard the deceased’s cries for help was also presented in court.
“In convicting the men, the court found the child to be a reliable witness as she was able to identify the attackers and relate details of the incident.”
Ramkisson-Kara said that in aggravation of sentence, the state handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the child. The child stated that she has nightmares about the incident and misses her mother.
They were also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Ramkisson-Kara added that the NPA welcomes the successful finalisation of the matter.
“Together with our partners in the crime prevention cluster, we remain steadfast in our fight against gender-based violence and intimate-partner femicide.”
The sentencing falls a month after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu released the crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year and the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
Reacting to crimes against women and children, parliament’s portfolio committee on police flagged the statistics on crimes against women and children as particularly concerning.
The statistics show that although the overall number of women murdered in 2023/24 is lower than 2022/23 (a decrease of 1.92%), the significant increase of 7.9% in the first quarter of 2024/25 compared to the first quarter of 2023/24 is concerning.
According to SAPS’ statistics, 966 women were murdered during the first quarter of 2024/25; 1 644 murders were attempted against women, and 13 757 women were assaulted with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm. In 2023/24, 24 942 women were murdered, which is significantly higher than in 2021/22 (9.1% increase). Also, in the first quarter of 2024/25, 314 children were murdered, 424 murders against children were attempted, and 1 596 children were assaulted with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Committee member Molebogeng Letlape, said the statistics do not present anything new as the numbers from previous quarters show that these crimes – murder and rape – continue to happen in the same areas as before.
Letlape said it is alarming that despite all the efforts and budgets provided, improvement remains lacklustre. She also said that of those murdered, over 1 000 are women and face crime, murder and rape daily.
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