Two violent KwaZulu-Natal men have been jailed – one for murdering his former girlfriend and the other for raping a woman who rented a room adjacent to his on a communal property.
SAPS Captain Nqobile Gwala said the Pongola Regional Court this week sentenced Smiso Sifiso Mpontshane‚ 24‚ to life imprisonment for killing his former girlfriend‚ Nomathemba Lukhele‚ 28. He also received six years imprisonment for attempted murder and another six years imprisonment for possession of an unlicensed firearm.
In June 2016‚ Lukhele was seated inside a vehicle with a male companion in the Maphaya area when Mpontshane approached and fired several shots at them. She died at the scene‚ while her companion escaped injury.
Mpontshane was arrested three days later‚ with an unlicensed firearm in his possession. He has been in custody since his arrest.Gwala said in the other case‚ a rapist had been jailed for 10 years.
Cyril Cele‚ 36‚ was convicted in the Empangeni Regional Court. Cele‚ who had been renting a room in the Iniwe area‚ attacked his 28-year-old neighbour in December 2014.
“The victim went outside to fetch water from the tap when (Cele) grabbed her and forced her into his room‚ where he repeatedly raped her‚” said Gwala.