Siphamandla Khumalo, 34, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Durban High Court for the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend, Nomfundo Msibi. The crime, which took place in August last year in the parking lot of Durban’s Gateway Shopping Mall, shocked the nation due to its sheer brutality. Khumalo stabbed Msibi more than 22 times, an act the court described as premeditated and merciless.
During sentencing, Senior State Prosecutor Advocate Krishen Shah argued that Khumalo showed no genuine remorse for his actions. Instead, Shah said, Khumalo offered only a weak apology at the very end of his trial. “This was a callous act, a display of exceptionally bad behavior that cannot be blamed on upbringing, education, or employment. This was his own decision,” Shah told the court.
Shah painted Khumalo as a cold, unrepentant individual motivated by jealousy and anger after being rejected by Msibi. He emphasized that Khumalo remained indifferent and emotionless throughout the trial. “True remorse is a sign of someone capable of rehabilitation, but Khumalo showed no such quality. He was fully aware of his actions,” Shah added.
Khumalo, originally from Nongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal, lived in a shack near the shopping mall while Msibi resided in KwaMashu. The two shared a six-year-old son. In his defense, Khumalo claimed he never intended to kill Msibi and realized the gravity of his actions only two days after being detained. However, Shah quickly dismissed this, pointing to the video footage capturing the brutal stabbing as proof of Khumalo’s intent.
While testifying, Khumalo spoke about his difficult upbringing, explaining that he was the only male among five siblings. He had dropped out of school in Grade 11 after losing both parents and worked as a bricklayer to support his family. He claimed that his arrest left his family struggling financially, as he was their sole breadwinner.
Despite these arguments, Shah maintained that Khumalo failed to take the court into his confidence or show genuine regret. The court also heard that Khumalo’s family had attempted to reconcile with Msibi’s family by sending a cow and a goat, a traditional gesture. However, Judge Jacqueline Henriques noted that this did not absolve him of the crime.
Judge Henriques found Khumalo guilty of premeditated murder, stating that the 22 stab wounds proved his clear intention to kill. Khumalo’s legal representative, Phumelele Danisa, pleaded for a lighter sentence of 25 years, citing his client’s role as a first-time offender, a father, and a breadwinner. Danisa argued that Khumalo lacked parental guidance and that imprisonment could offer him anger management rehabilitation.
The State relied on CCTV footage of the stabbing and testimony from Msibi’s boyfriend, Mthobisi Gasela, as well as a police officer, to solidify the case. After committing the murder, Khumalo and an accomplice fled the scene, leaving an Okapi knife lodged in Msibi’s body.
Ultimately, Judge Henriques ruled that the evidence overwhelmingly proved Khumalo’s guilt, and she handed down a life sentence.