Lumka Mahanjana
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Gauteng Division Pretoria photo by Dimakatso Modipa
By Lumka Mahanjana
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Gauteng Division Pretoria
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence of life imprisonment and an additional seven years’ direct imprisonment handed down by the Pretoria High Court to Gauteng Provincial Traffic official, Zakhele Bennet Hlongwane (53), from Mamelodi. Hlongwane was sentenced to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of his wife, Tili Desire Ngobeni (33), five years for pointing a firearm, and two years for malicious property damage. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently with the life sentence and further declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
On 01 April 2024 at around 05h00 the accused went to the deceased place of residence in Mamelodi.
On arrival, Hlongwane broke open the deceased room door and began to shoot her multiple times in the presence of their five- and three-year-old children.
After the cousin of the deceased heard the gunshots, he came out of his room and the accused pointed at him with a firearm.
An hour later, Hlongwane handed himself over to the Mamelodi police station and has been in custody since the NPA successfully opposed his release on bail.
In court, Hlongwane pleaded guilty to the murder and pointing of a firearm, claiming he was overwhelmed by anger and did not plan to kill his wife.
His legal representative requested the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, arguing that Hlongwane handed himself over, is a first-time offender, and showed remorse by writing apology letters to the deceased’s family and the community.
However, State Advocate Vusimuzi Tshabalala countered that Hlongwane’s apologies were expressions of regret rather than genuine remorse, as they were only made after conviction.
He argued that as a law enforcement officer, husband, and father, Hlongwane was expected to uphold the law and protect his family, but instead betrayed their trust, violated the deceased’s right to life, and traumatised his children.
Advocate Tshabalala emphasised that femicide remains a highly prevalent crime in South Africa, and no level of anger can justify such brutality, urging the court to impose a life sentence.
In delivering judgment, Judge Mashudu Munzhelele agreed with the State, noting that Hlongwane failed to show genuine remorse and was convicted of a serious and prevalent offence.
She described the crime as extremely brutal and careless, committed against the very person he was expected to love and protect.
“As a law enforcement official, he was expected to uphold the law and not violate it as he did.
Imposing a lesser sentence would undermine the severity of this offence,” the Judge said.
The court therefore found no substantial or compelling circumstances to justify deviation from the prescribed sentence.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng, Advocate Marika Jansen van Vuuren, commended the work of the prosecutor, stating:
“It can never be overemphasised how important human life is. The NPA will continue to pursue such cases vigorously to ensure justice for victims and to serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.”
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