MATATIELE – In a shocking and tragic case the Maluti Regional Court has sentenced 46 year old Vuyelwa Bhalawese and her 21 year old boyfriend Siyanda Majola to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of Bhalawese’s 59 year old husband. The motive behind the murder was revealed to be Bhalawese’s desire to access her husband’s pensions and enjoy them with her much younger boyfriend.
The court heard that Bhalawese had been involved in an extramarital relationship with Majola while her husband worked in Gauteng, the husband who was due to retire soon would send money for the maintenance of their home in the Eastern Cape.
However when he returned home and discovered that the money intended for purchasing sheep had not been used as intended, he confronted his wife.
It was during this confrontation that Bhalawese and Majola conspired to kill the husband. Their plans were overheard by Bhalawese’s 17 vear old nephew who later became a state witness. The nephew revealed that the couple believed that the husband’s death would result in Bhalawese inheriting his pensions, as they did not have any children together.
On the night of June 13, 2022 the husband was brutally attacked with a blunt object at his home and tragically lost his life. The nephew who was in an adjacent room managed to witness the attack and identify the attackers. Subsequent police investigations led to the arrest of Bhalawese just days before her husband’s funeral, followed by the arrest of Majola and his brother.
During the trial both Bhalawese and Majola pleaded not guilty and presented alibis however State Advocate Chumile Mkentane successfully disproved their alibis, leading the court to agree that there were no compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment for premeditated murder. The court also acknowledged that the motive behind the crime was greed.
Eastern Cape Director of Public
Prosecutions, Barry Madolo expressed satisfaction with the sentence and commended the swift action taken by the investigating team, which ultimately led to the conviction and sentencing of the perpetrators.
This tragic case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of greed and the devastating impact it can have on individuals and families.
