A Limpopo woman, Mmapeu Neo Hlanga, from Zebediela, who was badly injured in an acid attack, says she is breathing a sigh of relief after her attacker was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Hlanga, 27, was left with permanent scars on her face and body after she was attacked by her former boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, Yvonne Maja, 25.

Maja, who hails from Ga-Rakgwatha, was sentenced by the Mokopane Regional Court to an effective 20 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of attempted murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).

Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi said Maja was sentenced to 18 years for attempted murder and an additional two years for assault GBH, with the sentences ordered to run consecutively.

Malabi said the court heard that on February 14, 2024, at Mogoto village, the accused argued over the phone with her ex-boyfriend and Hlanga.

“After finishing work, she went to her ex-boyfriend’s homestead, where she found both individuals,” Malabi said.

“She accused her ex-boyfriend of infidelity and immediately produced a bottle containing a liquid, which she poured onto the complainant’s face and parts of her body. The liquid also spilt onto her ex-boyfriend.”

The incident was reported to police and, following an investigation, Maja was arrested. It was later confirmed that both victims had been doused with acid.

In aggravation of sentence, State Prosecutor Rakoma Dibuleng Christina presented a victim impact statement compiled by court preparation officer Maela Lebogang, detailing the severe physical and psychological trauma suffered by Hlanga.

“The State submitted that the accused failed to accept the end of her relationship, resulting in the permanent disfigurement of the complainant,” Malabi said.

“The court heard that the complainant’s life has been irreversibly altered, including her ability to move freely in her community without distress.”

The State further argued that Maja showed no genuine remorse and was not candid during her attempted guilty plea, which the prosecution declined to accept.

The NPA welcomed the sentence. Limpopo Director of Public Prosecutions Adv Ivy Thenga condemned all forms of violence, saying such sentences bring justice and closure to victims while removing dangerous offenders from society. 

She also commended the prosecutor and all stakeholders involved in securing the conviction.

Speaking to IOL News on Tuesday, Hlanga said she accepted the sentence, although it fell short of her expectations.

“I am happy that she was found guilty and sentenced, but I was expecting a life sentence, especially given how much damage the acid did to my body,” she said.

“At least the justice system did not fail me. It’s better than her still being outside, and I do welcome the sentence.”

Hlanga, who is currently receiving ongoing treatment at Mankweng Hospital, said the injuries she sustained would affect her for the rest of her life.

“I will live with these scars forever. I need operations because my eyesight has been affected, my hearing is not good, and my nose still needs surgery,” she said.

She added that the community had rallied around her since the attack.

“The support has been overwhelming. They have been there for me since day one,” she said.

In July last year, IOL News reported that the attack happened in October 2024 after Maja arrived at the man’s home pretending she wanted peace. 

Hlanga said she believed Maja was carrying a cold drink, but it turned out to be acid.

She said her life had changed drastically and that the attack had robbed her of her dignity.

“I can’t even look at myself in the mirror. My child doesn’t recognise me anymore,” she said.

Hlanga said she had dropped out of Capricorn TVET College in 2021, where she was studying plumbing, due to financial difficulties, and later found work as a general worker on a farm in Mokopane.

It was there that she met a man she began dating in 2024. 

She later discovered that he shared a child with Maja, whom he claimed he had separated from.

According to Hlanga, tensions escalated when Maja became jealous and began spreading rumours at work, eventually leading to Hlanga’s dismissal from the farm in August 2024.

The attack later occurred during a visit to the man’s home, after Maja arrived under the pretence of wanting to make peace.

“She took out what I thought was a cold drink from her handbag, but it was acid,” Hlanga said.

“She stood in front of me and poured it on my face and body.”

Hlanga sustained severe burns to her chest, hands and thighs. 

She was initially treated at Zebediela Hospital before being transferred to Mankweng Hospital, where she remained for several months.

A mother of a four-year-old girl, Hlanga said the trauma has affected both her physical health and her family life. 

She has since ended the relationship with the man involved.

“I keep asking God what I did to deserve this,” she previously said.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL News

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