The effects of the killing of Mangosuthu University of Technology student Xolile Mbatha has left her father with an “oozing wound” and almost as if his life “had been ripped apart”.
This is the agony described in a victim impact statement read by Durban high court judge Charmaine Bolton on Friday.
Bolton sentenced Bongani Mlambo, 28, to 22 years in prison for killing Mbatha, 23 at her Ark Royal residence in South Beach on July 31 2022. Mbatha, who came from rural Msinga, was a final year electrical engineering student.
Mbatha's father described his late daughter as being the strongest of her siblings and someone whom every parent wished for in a child.
“She was a dedicated and ambitious person who had big ambitions before her life was shattered by the accused,” read the statement.
The void left by Mbatha's death was also devastating for her four-year-old daughter who often asked family members to fetch her mum from Durban.
Bolton said the post-mortem report had given a clear indication of the extent of the injuries inflicted on Mbatha.
“It's clear that Mlambo had gone on a rampage by stabbing the deceased with force and intensity.”
Students sporting EFF student command regalia were present in court.
Bolton said in considering the sentence she could not ignore the seriousness and gravity of the offence.
“I am satisfied that the accused had acted in the moment of rage and that the accused was deeply in love and feared losing the deceased. But the inhumane actions are aggravating. His actions were atrocious and almost barbaric,” said Bolton.
She was not convinced that the murder had been premeditated.
In his guilty plea, Mlambo said he had met Mbatha on Facebook in 2018. The pair would cross paths in 2019 and their relationship blossomed.
However, cracks in the relationship emerged in 2021 when Mbatha started communicating with a fellow church congregant via SMS and WhatsApp messages.
When Mlambo first confronted her about the communication, Mbatha had told him that they were sharing Bible verses. He said he was deeply in love with Mbatha.
She would later fall pregnant with twins but miscarried.
On July 31 Mlambo took a taxi from Umlazi township to Durban where he made an unannounced visit to Mbatha's residence.
During the visit the pair had an altercation which resulted in Mlambo stabbing Mbatha repeatedly before he took a taxi back to Umlazi.
A day later he headed to his home in Hluhluwe.
He said he was aware of social media posts about his actions and that the police were on his tail.
In September Mlambo handed himself over to the police with the intention of pleading guilty.
TimesLIVE
Killer of MUT student girlfriend sentenced to 22 years
Image: Nqubeko Mbhele
The effects of the killing of Mangosuthu University of Technology student Xolile Mbatha has left her father with an “oozing wound” and almost as if his life “had been ripped apart”.
This is the agony described in a victim impact statement read by Durban high court judge Charmaine Bolton on Friday.
Bolton sentenced Bongani Mlambo, 28, to 22 years in prison for killing Mbatha, 23 at her Ark Royal residence in South Beach on July 31 2022. Mbatha, who came from rural Msinga, was a final year electrical engineering student.
Mbatha's father described his late daughter as being the strongest of her siblings and someone whom every parent wished for in a child.
“She was a dedicated and ambitious person who had big ambitions before her life was shattered by the accused,” read the statement.
The void left by Mbatha's death was also devastating for her four-year-old daughter who often asked family members to fetch her mum from Durban.
Bolton said the post-mortem report had given a clear indication of the extent of the injuries inflicted on Mbatha.
“It's clear that Mlambo had gone on a rampage by stabbing the deceased with force and intensity.”
Students sporting EFF student command regalia were present in court.
Bolton said in considering the sentence she could not ignore the seriousness and gravity of the offence.
“I am satisfied that the accused had acted in the moment of rage and that the accused was deeply in love and feared losing the deceased. But the inhumane actions are aggravating. His actions were atrocious and almost barbaric,” said Bolton.
She was not convinced that the murder had been premeditated.
In his guilty plea, Mlambo said he had met Mbatha on Facebook in 2018. The pair would cross paths in 2019 and their relationship blossomed.
However, cracks in the relationship emerged in 2021 when Mbatha started communicating with a fellow church congregant via SMS and WhatsApp messages.
When Mlambo first confronted her about the communication, Mbatha had told him that they were sharing Bible verses. He said he was deeply in love with Mbatha.
She would later fall pregnant with twins but miscarried.
On July 31 Mlambo took a taxi from Umlazi township to Durban where he made an unannounced visit to Mbatha's residence.
During the visit the pair had an altercation which resulted in Mlambo stabbing Mbatha repeatedly before he took a taxi back to Umlazi.
A day later he headed to his home in Hluhluwe.
He said he was aware of social media posts about his actions and that the police were on his tail.
In September Mlambo handed himself over to the police with the intention of pleading guilty.
TimesLIVE
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