Tshepo Sithole, who fatally stabbed his girlfriend Mpho Simelani 26 times in Thembisa last year, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Johannesburg high court on Wednesday.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Sithole, 31, and Simelani, 22, were in a relationship marked by repeated physical assaults and a disturbing pattern of violence.
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“On March 24 2023, the couple was seen departing together in a vehicle driven by Sithole. She was stabbed 26 times on the chest.”
“Eyewitnesses later reported witnessing Sithole removing Simelani’s body from the vehicle and abandoning it on the street that same night,” NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said.
Sithole was arrested a day later after attempting to take his own life at Thembisa Hospital.
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“This verdict sends a clear message that GBV will not be tolerated in our society.”
“It underscores the justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring the safety and dignity of all individuals,” Mjonondwane said.
