Grisly death for wives and girlfriends

FORMER Soweto community radio presenter Donald “Donald Duck” Sebolai was sentenced last year to 20 years’ imprisonment after murdering his girlfriend, Rachel “Dolly” Tshabalala. Sebolai‚ 40, stabbed Tshabalala‚ 32, repeatedly during a row at his home in Soweto in 2014. She bled to death.

Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to six years for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home in Pretoria. He said he had mistaken her for an intruder and shot her through his bathroom door, hitting her in the hip, arm and head. He was convicted of culpable homicide in 2014, but in December 2015 the Supreme Court of Appeal changed the conviction to murder.

Johan Kotze, known as the Modimolle Monster, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his stepson, Conrad Bonnette, and the rape of his former wife Ina Bonnette, as well as kidnapping and assault in 2013. Kotze shot Conrad in his mother’s house while she was there. She was bound, tortured and raped, and needed reconstructive surgery afterwards.

Port Elizabeth businessman Christopher Panayiotou is standing trial for conspiring to commit murder, kidnapping, robbing and killing his wife, Jayde Panayiotou, two years ago. Jayde, 28, was abducted outside her townhouse complex in Kabega Park and her body was found in a field near KwaNobuhle in Uitenhage. His case resumes on June 12.

The body of Fatima Choonara, 28, was found in her Polokwane home after what was initially thought to be a robbery. Her husband, Rameez Patel, was arrested for her murder last year. Last month he refused to undergo psychiatric evaluation.

Former ANC Youth League official Patrick Wisani was sentenced to 20 years in prison for beating his girlfriend, Nosipho Mandleleni, to death with a sjambok and a broomstick in their flat in Yeoville in 2015.

Pretoria model Zanele Khumalo, 18, who was five months pregnant, was murdered by her boyfriend and the father of her unborn child, Thato Kutumela. He is now serving a 20-year jail term for the 2011 murder.

Property executive Jason Rohde was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife, Susan, at the Spier wine estate in Stellenbosch in June last year. The case continues. —