The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court, sitting in Breyten, sent Sibusiso Bonginkosi Sibiya (41) to 22 years’ direct imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Amanda Khumalo, in 2023 in Volksrust.

Sibiya and Khumalo were in a long-term relationship and had two minor children together. He was charged with murder and assault.

Sibiya entered into a plea and sentence agreement in terms of Section 105A(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.

In his plea statement, Sibiya admitted that on February 19, 2023, he was with Khumalo at Skyville, Volksrust, when he became aware that she was involved in a romantic relationship with another man.

An argument ensued regarding the affair, during which Sibiya expressed concerns about its emotional and psychological impact on the children, as well as the reputational harm and loss of dignity he believed it had caused him within the community.

During the altercation, Khumalo informed Sibiya that he was not the biological father of the children. This revelation angered him and left him emotionally overwhelmed.

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As a result, he grabbed a nearby knife and repeatedly stabbed Khumalo in the presence of their 14-year-old daughter.

The child to her uncle, who was in a nearby shack, for help. When the uncle entered the couple’s bedroom, he found the accused stabbing the deceased.

Sibiya threatened him with the knife, forcing him to flee and alert neighbours. Sibiya subsequently fled the scene and remained at large until his arrest in KwaZulu-Natal in October 2025.

Khumalo was declared dead at the scene.

In court, Sibiya acknowledged the unlawfulness and tragic consequences of his conduct and made formal admissions of guilt under Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Senior State Advocate Themba Lusenga argued that the offence was extremely serious, undermining both the sanctity of human life and the constitutional right to life.

He submitted that Khumalo suffered a painful death and contended that Sibiya’s guilty plea should be regarded as a neutral factor, as it was motivated by the overwhelming evidence against him rather than genuine remorse.

The State also handed in the post-mortem report, which confirmed that the deceased sustained 11 stab wounds.

In sentencing, the court found that substantial and compelling circumstances justified a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence.

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Among the factors considered were the accused’s personal circumstances, his status as a first offender, and his decision to plead guilty.

In delivering the sentence, the court remarked that Sibya’s actions were motivated by jealousy and fell squarely within the ambit of gender-based violence.

The court emphasised that domestic violence remains a scourge in society and that sentences imposed in such matters must reflect the seriousness of these offences.

Sibiya was sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment for murder and a further 18 months’ imprisonment for assault.

The court ordered the sentence for assault to run concurrently with the sentence imposed for the murder charge, resulting in an effective sentence of 22 years’ direct imprisonment.

The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Monica Nyuswa, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Mpumalanga, said the NPA remains committed to prosecuting gender-based violence and other violent crimes without fear, favour, or prejudice.