Former SANDF member Luwanda Mxolisi Zungu was handed a life sentence yesterday (October 2) at the Pinetown Regional Court for the murder of his wife, Tania Msane Zungu, in 2024.

Highway Mail reports that following the proceedings, Tania’s mother, Patience Msane, said although the life sentence was welcomed, Zungu deserved eight life sentences for each of the bullets fired when killing her daughter.

Msane referred to a victim impact statement read by the state prosecutor during arguments in aggravation of sentence, which revealed the severe trauma experienced by the family and noted that the convicted murderer had not shown remorse.

Magistrate speaks out on GBVF

Handing down the sentence, Magistrate Muntu Khumalo said the court had to consider that South Africa has one of the highest rates of femicide, adding that the sheer brutality of Zungu’s crime had shocked local communities.

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

The magistrate said aggravating circumstances far outweighed mitigating factors. He noted that Zungu shot Tania eight times, fled the scene in a taxi to Johannesburg without attempting to save her life and killed her in their matrimonial bedroom while she was asleep with children in the home.

Khumalo noted that Zungu failed to explain in court what had necessitated his actions, leaving the family without closure. He added that the callous attack was evidence of a lack of remorse.

No basis for rehabilitation

Evidence presented during the trial proved Zungu killed Tania while she was defenceless in her own home.

The court found no factual basis that Zungu was a suitable candidate for rehabilitation.

Khumalo pointed out that the sentencing came at a time when the country was witnessing reports of women’s bodies discovered in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, suspected to be victims of GBVF.

He added that worrying rates of GBVF prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare these crimes a second pandemic, leading to the establishment of GBV command centres to support victims.

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

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