Scottburgh court jails man for 20 years over partner’s murder
The sentence was handed down by the Scottburgh Regional Court after the man admitted to murdering his 33-year-old partner.
A 38-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment after pleading guilty to murdering his partner, in a case the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says underscores the consequences of gender-based violence.
The sentence was handed down by the Scottburgh Regional Court after the man admitted to murdering his 33-year-old partner in November 2025.
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The couple were in a domestic relationship and had a two-month-old child together.
According to the NPA, the accused returned home on November 29, 2025, and found his partner heavily intoxicated while their baby was missing.
When she regained consciousness and could not explain the child’s whereabouts, he became angry and repeatedly assaulted her with a stick.
The NPA said a neighbour later informed him that she had taken the baby because the woman had been too intoxicated to care for the child.
Later that evening, the woman complained of severe body pains.
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The accused left to fetch medication, but on his return, found her unresponsive.
Emergency medical personnel declared her dead at the scene.
The matter was reported to police and the accused was arrested.
During sentencing proceedings, State Advocate Thanusha Govender submitted the post-mortem report and argued that the accused’s actions had deprived the couple’s minor child of the opportunity to know and grow up with his mother.
The NPA said Govender also told the court that the woman’s family had suffered immense pain and trauma as a result of her death.
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Although murder carries a prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment under certain circumstances, the court imposed a 20-year direct prison sentence after finding that the accused’s guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, remorse and the fact that he acted in anger constituted substantial and compelling circumstances to justify a lesser sentence.
The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
NPA regional spokesperson for KZN Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the authority welcomed the sentence.
“The NPA hopes that sentences of this nature will serve as a deterrent to those who resort to violence, particularly in domestic relationships, and reaffirm that perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide will be held accountable,” she said.