Mxolisi Dingezweni was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Lusikisiki Regional Court for the murder of his girlfriend in March 2025.
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Thirty-one-year old Mxolisi Dingezweni from KwaNtlele in the Eastern Cape will never walk free again after being sentenced to life imprisonment for killing his 30-year-old girlfriend.
The Lusikisiki Regional Court has sentenced Dingezweni to life imprisonment for the murder of his 30-year-old girlfriend.
Eastern Cape provincial spokesperson Captain Welile Matyolo confirmed that Dingezweni, from KwaNtlele area, Makhwaleni Administrative Area, was convicted of stabbing his girlfriend to death at her home on March 22, 2025.
Matyolo said the murder followed an argument between the couple at a local tavern the previous day.
“Dingezweni was arrested on March 23 and remained in custody until sentencing on May 28.”
Meanwhile, the acting OR Tambo District commissioner, Brigadier Vukile Ntuli, welcomed the sentence.
“Gender-based violence remains a devastating scourge in our society,” Ntuli said.
“It is profoundly disturbing that the person who promised to love and protect this woman instead brutally took her life, inflicting unimaginable pain on her family. We hope this life sentence delivers justice and aids the family in finding some measure of closure."
IOL News previously reported that the Regional Court sitting in Whittlesea has sentenced 38-year-old Zuko Sigenu to life imprisonment for the murder of his father and an additional 15 years for the earlier murder of a relative, both crimes committed while under the influence of alcohol and while he was out on bail.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, said Sigenu’s violent spree began on September 25, 2021, during a traditional ceremony at his family home. The court heard that he got into a heated, alcohol-fueled altercation with a relative.
"Despite efforts by others present to defuse the situation, Sigenu pursued the victim after being separated and fatally stabbed him with a sharp object. The State led evidence from two witnesses and successfully secured a conviction based on a combination of direct and circumstantial evidence," said Tyali.
While out on bail for this offence, Sigenu murdered his father on August 12, 2023.
On the night of the second murder, a neighbour testified that Sigenu had been involved in a loud argument with his father, which included desperate pleas from the elderly man, “Zuko, don’t kill me.” Minutes later, he was discovered dead, with over ten stab wounds to his upper body.
Regional Court Prosecutor Siphelo Kwehla successfully argued that the evidence left no room for reasonable doubt, and the court found that Sigenu showed no remorse. The judge called the killing of his father “an aggravating circumstance” that demanded the harshest possible punishment.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Eastern Cape, Advocate Barry Madolo, commended the prosecution and law enforcement teams for their work in bringing Sigenu to justice.
“It can never be overemphasised how important human life is. The NPA will continue to pursue such cases with vigour to send a strong message and deter would-be murderers,” said Tyali.
Tyali added that the outcome was not only about punishment but also about reinforcing societal values.
“Justice must prevail, especially in cases where the sanctity of family has been so cruelly violated. The NPA commends the efforts of the prosecution and law enforcement for securing this conviction.”
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
IOL News