The Nquthu Regional Court recently sentenced Wonderboy Mazibuko (28) to 15 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Nonjabulo Labase (21), in the Mondlo area of KZN in May 2021.

Mazibuko and Labase were in a love relationship and lived together. She was eight months pregnant with his child.

On the night of the incident, they argued and Mazibuko hacked her with a bush knife, leaving her with severe injuries all over her body.

Thereafter, he went to his mother, who lived nearby, and told her what had happened. Mazibuko also went to a policeman who lived close by and informed him what he had done. He, however, fled the scene and refused to return when the police phoned him to come back. He was ultimately arrested the following day.

Since there were no eyewitnesses because the incident had happened behind closed doors, regional court prosecutor Sandisiwe Ntuli relied on the admissions that Mazibuko made to his mother and the policeman.

Ntuli argued on the severity and prevalence of the offense and the fact that Mazibuko showed no remorse, and further forced his elderly mother to testify in court on his admissions to her.

Mazibuko was charged with unplanned murder, for which the minimum sentence is 15 years’ imprisonment. In keeping with this, the court sentenced him accordingly.