The day the mother of former JoziFM DJ Donald Sebolai’s slain girlfriend has been praying for has arrived — her daughter’s killer has been convicted and spent his first night behind bars.

Sebolai‚ 38‚ was on Monday found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Rachel Flavia “Dolly” Tshabalala after the couple fought at his Soweto flat in June last year.

Sebolai‚ also known as DJ “Donald Duck”‚ was also found guilty of attempting to defeat the ends of justice for cleaning up the crime scene‚ but was acquitted on a charge of motor vehicle theft.

Speaking after court proceedings at the high court in Johannesburg‚ sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court‚ Tshabalala’s mother‚ Elizabeth Marawa‚ said that she had been praying and waiting patiently for Sebolai’s conviction.

“I am going to sleep tonight‚” Marawa said.

Other members of Tshabalala’s family said they were also relieved.

Earlier‚ as Judge Cassim Moosa read his judgment‚ Marawa broke down in tears‚ hearing again how her daughter bled to death.

Moosa found that Sebolai had killed Tshabalala in cold blood‚ when he stabbed her in the lower abdomen‚ and rejected the version of events the DJ had told the court.

Sebolai had pleaded not guilty to all charges‚ claiming that he had acted in self-defence.

Giving testimony‚ Sebolai said that Tshabalala attacked him with a knife and that she was wounded as he tried to fend her off. He suggested that she had accidentally stabbed herself in the struggle.

But Moosa did not buy Sebolai’s story‚ relying on the evidence of the “credible and satisfactory” state witnesses instead.

Moosa found that if there had been a struggle‚ Tshabalala’s body would have displayed evidence of this‚ but there was none. He also found that Tshabalala could not have accidentally stabbed herself as her wound could only have been inflicted with significant force.

Sebolai had previously told the court that he was in shock after realising that Tshabalala was dead and that led him to clean Tshabalala’s blood from his lounge floor before taking her to the hospital.

Moosa found that Sebolai’s behaviour had nothing to do with shock‚ saying that he failed to get her medical attention because he intended for her to die.

The court had heard earlier that Sebolai and Tshabalala’s love affair was violent at times.

Following the guilty verdict‚ prosecutor Tania Buitendag asked the court to revoke Sebolai’s bail of R10000‚ saying the DJ is a flight risk.

Defence attorney Pule Pule told RDM News Wire that Sebolai would apply for bail later this week. He also said that Sebolai intends to appeal his conviction and sentence.

Following Tshabalala’s death‚ police searched for Sebolai for more than a week before his arrest.

Moosa revoked Sebolai’s bail‚ saying that this was a legal procedure and that Sebolai would have to bring a new bail application if he wanted to remain free in the period leading up to his sentencing.

Sentencing proceedings will begin on November 25.

This is the same day the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign begins‚ Javu Baloyi from the Commission for Gender Equality noted.

“Donald saw nothing wrong with the constant abuse of his girlfriend‚ that’s what concerns us‚” he said. — TMG Courts and Law