Dumisani Ronald Mkhwanazi sentenced to effective 31-year jail term
Dumisani Ronald Mkhwanazi, the man who killed University of Johannesburg (UJ) student, Palesa Madiba in August 2013, was sentenced to 31 years by the High Court of South Africa: Gauteng Local Division, on February 26.
Dumisani Ronald Mkhwanazi, the man who killed student, Palesa Madiba in August 2013, was sentenced to 31 years by the High Court of South Africa: Gauteng Local Division, on February 26.
According to Phindi Mjonondwane, who is the regional spokesperson for the Gauteng local division, he was sentenced to 20 years for murder, 3 years for the theft of Madiba’s phone, 8 years for defeating the ends of justice, 10 years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and 2 years for unlawful possession of ammunition.
“Some of the sentences were ordered to run concurrently with the murder sentence, resulting in an effective 31 years imprisonment term,” explained Mjonondwane.
Mkhwanazi was arrested in December 2015, following the discovery of Madiba’s remains at his home’s backyard in Phiri, Soweto.
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“Madiba went missing on August 12, 2013, after spending the weekend at the Mkwanazi home, visiting her friend and Mkhwanazi’s niece, Tshidi Mkhwanazi. The niece testified as a state witness and told the court that when she left home for work, Madiba was preparing to go to the Soweto UJ Campus to attend classes.”
“She said she got worried when she could not get hold of Madiba on her cellphone later that same day and when she discovered that Madiba never made it to class, nor her family home, this prompted her and Madiba’s family to open a missing person’s docket,” shared Mjonondwane.
The police search together with the family was unsuccessful, until December 16, 2019, when police received information from Mkhwanazi’s friend, Richard Mahlangu, that Mkhwanazi told him that he “crushed” Madiba.
Mahlangu had asked about Madiba’s whereabouts when Mkhwanazi revealed these details.
Mjonondwane added that the post-mortem conducted on Madiba’s remains was consistent with Mkhwanazi’s admission to Mahlangu. “His evidence was corroborated by an expert witness, who testified that her skull was crushed.”
Senior State Advocate, Faghre Mohammed, relied on circumstantial evidence to prove Mkhwanazi’s guilt as there was no direct evidence from anyone who saw Mkhwanzi killing or burying Madiba. He relied on evidence of witnesses such as Tshidi, to tell the court that the last person that was with Madiba was his uncle, Mkhwanazi.
There was also Zwelakhe, who told the court that on the day of Madiba’s disappearance, he came to repair doors at the Mkhwanazi home and he noticed a heap of soil and paving tiles placed on top of the heap of soil which was uneven.
Mkhwanazi did not rebut their evidence and failed to give any sensible explanation.
Advocate Mohammed said that gender-based violence is a threat to our nascent democracy and society looked to the court to exterminate it at the roots. “I therefore request this court to consider aggravating factors such as lack of remorse, concealment of evidence as well as the gruesome actions of the accused as reason enough to impose a sentence over the minimum prescribed sentence of 15 years for murder,” he argued further. The National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the sentence.
Story credit: Phindi Mjonondwane, Regional spokesperson for Gauteng Local Division.
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