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A 43-year-old Mpumalanga man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his elderly mother in Sinqobile, near Daggakraal.
The Regional Court in Amersfoort handed down the sentence to Thami Sydney Mnyandu following a detailed police investigation into the death of his 75-year-old mother, Ntobizodwa Masina.
According to police reports, the incident occurred on 25 July 2024 at around 10:35am. Officers responded to a call and found an elderly woman lying unconscious in her yard with severe facial injuries.
Provincial police spokesperson, Captain Mpho Nonyane-Mpe, said: “Upon arrival, officers found the victim with serious facial wounds. Inside the house, police located Mnyandu, who confirmed that the woman was his mother. He told police that they had argued and that he lost his temper and assaulted her.”
Masina was rushed to hospital, where medical staff identified further injuries, including a wound beneath her left breast and a cut to her forehead. Mnyandu was initially charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
However, investigators later uncovered that a protection order had previously been issued against him, prohibiting him from assaulting, threatening, or verbally abusing his mother.
Masina died a few days after being discharged from hospital due to complications arising from the assault, and the charge was upgraded to murder.
Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, commended the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Mahlaba, for his dedication and thorough work which secured the conviction.
He added that he hoped the life sentence would bring some measure of comfort to the victim’s family. “The SAPS reiterates its zero tolerance for gender-based violence and crimes against vulnerable members of society,” Mkhwanazi said.
