In addition, Andrew Banda (35) will be under correctional supervision for 36 months and has been placed under house arrests at his Kaalfontein residence, for the duration of his sentence.
The Benoni Magistrates Court imposed the following conditions:
n He is ordered to perform free community service, that will be determined by the correctional office.
n He must attend anger management and a victim dialogue programme at his own cost.
n Banda has been declared unfit to possess any firearm.
Banda was found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend when he appeared in the Benoni Magistrates Court on February 25.
The case was reported to the Crystal Park SAPS on October 12, 2014.
When the police arrived at the N12 informal settlement they found the body of a 38-year-old female, who appeared to have been hacked with an axe, inside a toilet.
It was alleged that the victim was involved in a fight with Banda the previous night and the police found an axe with blood on the scene.
WO James Ratale and Const Edwin Mdluhli followed up on information and traced Banda to Olifantsfontein, where he was arrested.