The fight against gender-based violence took another step forward this week when the Mpumalanga High Court sentenced 26-year-old **Vuleni Moses Gule** to **18 years in prison** for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, **Banele Promise Manana**. The shocking crime, which occurred after a night of drinking, left the community reeling and reignited calls for justice for victims of domestic abuse.
According to the court proceedings, Gule and Manana had attended a party together when an argument broke out. The dispute reportedly started after Gule accused Manana of flirting with another man. Witnesses said the pair had been drinking before tempers flared, leading to a violent confrontation that ended in tragedy.
In a fit of rage, Gule physically assaulted Manana, tripping her before slamming her head against a brick wall. Even after she fell to the ground, he continued to kick her in the head until she became unresponsive. Medical evidence presented in court confirmed that Manana died at the scene from severe head injuries caused by the repeated blows.
Realizing what he had done, Gule attempted to call an ambulance, but it was already too late. Paramedics who arrived at the scene pronounced Manana dead, and Gule was later arrested and charged with murder.
During sentencing, the judge condemned the act as “a senseless and cowardly attack driven by jealousy and intoxication.” The court emphasized that no level of anger, alcohol, or emotion could ever justify taking another person’s life. The judge further noted that gender-based violence continues to plague communities across South Africa, and harsh sentences are necessary to deter future offenders.
Manana’s mother delivered a heartbreaking victim impact statement, describing the unbearable pain of losing her daughter in such a brutal manner. She said she still struggles to sleep at night and often relives the trauma of seeing her child’s lifeless body. “Banele was my only daughter, my hope, my joy,” she told the court through tears. “Her death has destroyed a part of me that will never heal.”
Community members who attended the sentencing expressed relief that justice was finally served but also sadness that another young woman’s life had been cut short by gender-based violence. Activists have called for continued public education on healthy relationships, anger management, and alcohol abuse, stressing that violence can never be an expression of love.
Outside court, supporters held placards reading *“Justice for Banele”* and *“Stop Killing Women”*, echoing a nationwide demand for stronger action against perpetrators of abuse.
As Gule begins his 18-year prison term, Manana’s family hopes her story will serve as a painful reminder of the cost of unchecked violence. Her death joins a long list of women who have lost their lives to domestic abuse — a tragedy that South Africans say must end once and for all.
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