SABC presenter’s ex-husband jailed for seven years – intends to appeal

The former husband of SABC radio presenter Dimakatso Folotsi has been slapped with a seven-year jail sentence for attempted murder.

Mackenzie Ratselane appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for sentencing, after he was found guilty of stabbing his ex-wife several times earlier this year.

Ratselane, who was on the run for six days, was arrested in Ennerdale, Gauteng after leaving Folotsi for dead in February 2021.

‘Second chance’

It was heard during the court proceedings that Ratselane took Folotsi to a secluded place just outside Bloemfontein, forced her out of the car, stabbed her multiple times with a knife and left her for dead.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Ratselane’s lawyer had requested the court to impose a lenient sentence “as a way of giving his client a second chance”, which was opposed by the state

“The accused stabbed the complainant multiple times and left her for dead. At the time of the incident, his wife was still a presenter at the SABC addressing issues of gender-based violence.

“He should have supported his wife in addressing those issues because of their prevalence, not only in Bloemfontein, but in the whole country, but he decided to increase the number of GBVF cases by turning his wife into a statistic”, state prosecutor, Sello Matlhoko told the court at the time.

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Matlhoko also argued that Ratselane did not appear remorseful for his actions, adding that he only shed tears “in an attempt to get mercy from the court”.

After finding him guilty of attempted murder, Magistrate Spiwo Mazwi sentenced Ratselane to nine years, two of which were suspended.

The accused was also sentenced to three years for possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as two years for possession of ammunition.

“He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm,” NPA Free State spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping said in a statement.

Ratselane’s sentences will run concurrently.

‘Justice has been served’

Folotsi, who was reportedly forced to go through a blood transfusion of two litres after the knife attack, has since expressed her disappointment with the sentence imposed on her ex-husband.

Speaking to the media outside the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, Folotsi said she had expected a heavy sentence due to the nature of the crime, but accepted the outcome.

“Justice has been served, it has brought a sense of relief to myself and since the beginning of this thing, it has been a nightmare to me, the community and the family, and each and every person who is close to me.

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“Despite the fact that it is something that was done by the person who was supposed to have protected me but at the end of the day he did what he did to me,” she said.

With Ratselane expected to appeal his conviction, Folotsi said her ex-husband had the right to do so.

“He can do what he wants to do… I am just glad that finally we came to the end of this whole thing because I am going to be able to now focus or shift my focus to something else, because honestly it has been a nightmare for myself.”