Carnarvon woman gets 20 years for killing partner during dispute over sex

A 47-YEAR-old woman was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by the Carnarvon Regional Court for the murder of her partner following an argument after she refused to have sexual intercourse with him.

Northern Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the accused, Magda van der Westhuizen, who had been in a relationship with Ricardo de Klerk for 11 years, pleaded guilty to the offence.

“The court heard that on August 24, 2024, the accused and the deceased were at their residence in Carnarvon when an argument ensued after the deceased requested sexual intercourse and the accused refused,” said Senokoatsane.

“During the altercation, the accused went to the kitchen, retrieved a knife from a cupboard, and stabbed the deceased twice in the chest. She then exited the house, threw the knife onto the roof, and remained seated outside while the deceased lay inside the residence. He later succumbed to his injuries.

“Members of the South African Police Service responded to the scene. Upon investigation, officers recovered the murder weapon from the roof and arrested the accused.”

He added that State prosecutor Xolisa March submitted that the court should not differentiate between genders when imposing appropriate sentences for serious violent crimes.

“The State further informed the court that the accused has two previous convictions for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (assault GBH), demonstrating a pattern of violent conduct. The prosecution argued that the murder was senseless and entirely avoidable.”

Senokoatsane said a victim impact statement, facilitated by Trott Manghana, was presented to the court, detailing the profound emotional trauma and financial hardship suffered by De Klerk’s family as a result of his death.

“The court found that the accused’s guilty plea constituted the only substantial and compelling circumstance justifying a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence. She was accordingly sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm.”

He added that the NPA welcomed the sentence, which reinforced the principle that acts of domestic violence and intimate partner homicide would be met with serious consequences, regardless of the gender of the perpetrator.

“Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) remains a grave violation of human rights and a serious affront to the constitutional values of dignity, equality, and freedom. While women and children are disproportionately affected by GBVF, violence in any form, irrespective of the gender of the victim or perpetrator, undermines the very fabric of our society.”

Senokoatsane said every act of violence deprived families of loved ones, destabilised communities, and perpetuated the cycle of trauma.

“Human life is invaluable and sacred. Justice must never be selective, nor empathy conditional. Whether the victim is a woman, a man, or a child, the loss is profound and irreversible. As a society, we must affirm that no life is expendable and that all victims deserve equal protection and the full weight of the law in pursuit of accountability,” Senokoatsane said.