A northern KwaZulu-Natal man has been handed a sentence of life in prison for the brutal murder of his “secret” girlfriend.

The Vryheid Regional Court sentenced Innocent Fanyane Dubazane, 51, on Friday for the murder of Nonsikelelo Nqobile Xaba, 45, in February 2024 in the Mondlo area.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the pair were in a relationship, but they had kept it a secret from their families.

Ramkisson-Kara said on February 8, 2024, the body of the deceased was discovered in a ditch in the C section area of Mondlo.

“The body was covered with a duvet cover and shade netting. The deceased was fully clothed, but she did not have shoes on. It appeared that she was brutally assaulted with a blunt object,” she said.

According to Ramkisson-Kara, since the victim was well-known in the area, she was easily identified by community members.

Initial police investigations established that she was last seen with Dubazane at his house, she said.

She stated that Dubazane was taken in for questioning, and during this time, he made admissions linking him to the murder.

“Following further investigations at Dubazane’s house, the deceased’s blood-stained shoes were found in a plastic bag in an outside toilet. Police also found drag marks on the ground at the back of the house,” she said.

The drag marks were in the direction of where the deceased’s body was found, added Ramkisson-Kara, while the duvet was from Dubazane’s homestead, and the shade netting found on the body belonged to Dubazane’s brother, who shared the homestead with him.

State Prosecutor Andre Symington led the evidence of witnesses who identified the shoes found at Dubazane’s house as belonging to the deceased. “A witness from Dubazane’s homestead identified the duvet that was used to drape the deceased’s body.”

The investigating officer and the arresting officer both testified.

In addition, Ramkisson-Kara said one of Dubazane’s relatives told the court that he had seen Dubazane and the deceased together prior to the incident. “His wife, who is now deceased, heard some commotion from the room and had reported that to him.”

In aggravation of sentence, Symington told the court that the abuse between partners is rife in South Africa. “This was a brutal murder, and Dubazane showed no remorse throughout the trial.”

In sentencing him, the court found that he and the deceased were in a domestic relationship. The court also found that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

Dubazane was sentenced to life imprisonment, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.

“The NPA remains committed to our fight against gender-based violence and femicide. There is no place in our society for perpetrators of such cruelty. We will continue to prioritise these cases and ensure that justice is delivered swiftly and decisively.”

karen.singh@inl.co.za

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