A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of his former girlfriend, Thembeka Nomfundo Bembe (32), in KaNyamazane Ext 19.

Mandla Sizwe Nkosi was sentenced by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela today, October 14.

He received life imprisonment for murder, 12 years for attempted murder, eight years for unlawful possession of a firearm and five years for unlawful possession of ammunition.

According to the Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Monica Nyuswa, the sentences will run concurrently, meaning Nkosi will effectively serve life imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Staged power cut lures sisters into ambush

Bembe and Nkosi had previously been in a domestic relationship and lived together. After their separation, Bembe allegedly began receiving death threats from an unknown person, prompting her to open a criminal case.

On June 30, 2022, Bembe was at her rented flat in KaNyamazane Ext 19 with her sister when the electricity in their room suddenly went off, while the lights in other rooms remained on.

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“The two went outside to investigate at the electricity distribution box. As they approached the box, gunfire was directed at them, forcing the sisters to run in different directions in an attempt to escape,” Nyuswa said.

Bembe was shot and died from her injuries, while her sister escaped unharmed.

Nyuswa said an intensive police investigation led by Warrant Officer Ben Nkambule resulted in Nkosi’s arrest in May 2025.

Cellphone data and healer link killer to crime

During the trial, Nkosi pleaded not guilty and denied involvement in the offences. However, state advocate Reuben Sekgobela presented circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime.

The State called a traditional healer who testified that Nkosi had approached him for cleansing after committing the offences. A data analyst also presented cellphone evidence placing Nkosi in the vicinity of the crime scene at the time of the shooting.

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The court accepted the State’s evidence and rejected Nkosi’s version as false.

In sentencing Nkosi, the court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify departing from the prescribed minimum sentence for murder.

NPA vows tough stance on domestic violence

“This prosecution sends a clear message that violence against women, particularly within intimate relationships, will be met with the full force of the law,” Nyuswa said.

“The NPA will continue to vigorously prosecute perpetrators of GBVF and work to ensure that victims and their families receive justice,” she added.

The NPA urged victims and survivors of domestic violence to report incidents to law enforcement authorities and seek assistance from available support services to ensure timely intervention and accountability.