FORMER SANDF member Luwanda Mxolisi Zungu was handed down a life sentence on Friday, October 2, at the Pinetown Regional Court for the brutal murder of his wife, Tania Msane Zungu in 2024.

After sentencing proceedings, Tania’s mother, Patience Msane, said though the life sentence is welcomed, Zungu deserved eight of these for each of the bullets he fired when killing her daughter.

Msane referred to the victim impact statement by her grandson, Zungu and Tania’s child, read by the State prosecutor during arguments in aggravation of sentence, which revealed the child’s trauma, and how to her the convicted murderer had not shown any remorse as reasons why he should have been handed down a heavier sentence.

Handing down the sentence, Magistrate Muntu Khumalo said the court had to consider that South Africa has one of the highest rates of femicide, and that the “sheer brutality” of Zungu’s crime must have shocked locals and activists across the country.

Khumalo urged that speaking out against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) should be ongoing in a country plagued by these crimes.

The magistrate said the aggravating circumstances in this case far outweighed the mitigating ones, and that the former included that Zungu had shot Tania eight times; fled the scene in a taxi for Johannesburg, not showing any regard for saving her life; and that he had killed her in their matrimonial bedroom while she was asleep with children.

Khumalo noted that Zungu had failed to explain in court what had necessitated his actions, which would result in Tania’s family not finding any closure.

He added that Zungu’s “callous” and “heartless” attack on Tania was further evidence of his lack of remorse.

Also read: Mother of slain wife hopes for life sentence for each bullet

The evidence presented during trial, said Khumalo, proved that Zungu killed Tania while she was defenceless, a painful act which exploited her vulnerability.

“She was killed in the one place that should have been a safe place for her, her own home,” said the magistrate.

The magistrate said they found no factual basis that Zungu is a suitable candidate for rehabilitation.

Khumalo pointed out that Zungu’s sentencing came at a time when the country was witnessing the worrying news of reports of women’s dead bodies discovered at Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, with suspicions that these were victims of GBVF.

He added that the worrying rates of GBVF in the country had prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare these crimes a second pandemic, with the government establishing GBV command centres aimed at providing support to victims.

“So it cannot continue to be business as usual and something has to be done about it,” said Khumalo.

The magistrate noted that the victim impact statement by Zungu’s son painted a picture of an abusive relationship between the convicted murderer and his wife, one which caused the child emotional and psychological trauma.

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter here