‘Suitor’ gets life for vicious murder of young woman

THE MOTHER of a Meadowlands, Soweto woman who was shot multiple times in the head and body, then dumped on a road by a man posing as a potential suitor, said she could finally start grieving.

Thandiwe Radebe was speaking after the sentencing of her daughter’s murderer, Vuyisile Sabelo Kolanisi, to life imprisonment in the high court in Joburg yesterday.

“I’m on autopilot. I haven’t even started grieving, I just wanted to make sure that justice was served.”

She had on the outfit she wore to her daughter Nomaliso Mjikeliso’s funeral to show it was time for her to start grieving over her loss.

Judge Peet Johnson also sentenced Kolanisi to 25 years for unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm; 15 years for robbery with aggravated circumstances; and three years for unlawful possession of ammunition.

“I don’t know if I’m allowed to verbalise what I feel about this man, because I am a Christian woman,” said Radebe.

Mjikeliso had been lured by Kolanisi under the pretence that he would give her money for rent on July 3 last year.

Mjikeliso, 33, had told her sister Lulama, 21, and her boyfriend that she was meeting a man called Sabelo to collect money from him, but he insisted that she come alone.

Kolanisi testified that he had a relationship with the victim.

Mjikeliso then picked up the accused in her VW Polo Vivo.

He lured her to a location where he shot her in the head, arms and shoulder and then dumped her body on the street before driving off in her car.

Kolanisi then sold the car for R7 000 and tried to get rid of the firearm, which was discovered in a dustbin in Mayfair.

“To you, her life was worth a mere R7 000,” said Judge Johnson.

Mjikeliso’s autopsy showed she had seven exit bullet wounds in her head and face, and one in her upper arm, forearm and shoulder.

“My sister was a person who everyone knew in our neighbourhood, and she had zero judgments. She was a free spirit,” said Lulama.

“She was so transparent, she wouldn’t hide anything from you. And I guess if you’re too nice, then people are going to do you wrong.

“There was no grey area with her and this situation is unfortunate, but I feel like she’s in a better place.”

After Kolansi’s judgment was handed down, a weeping Radebe composed herself, walked up to Kolanisi in the dock, and then looked him in the eye with disgust etched on her face.

The mother-of-three told the court that her eldest daughter was beyond recognition when she went to identify her. She could only identify her by the tattoo of her grandson’s name on her wrist.

After giving her testimony, Radebe left the courtroom to compose herself. “The deceased was a vulnerable young woman, and it is prevalent in this division that crimes are committed against vulnerable young women who have relationships with people like the accused,” the judge said.

“Many of these persons, like you, have no regard for the life or property or rights of these young women.

“Men who abuse the rights of women deserve no sympathy from the court. They also deserve no sympathy from society.

“You afforded the deceased no sympathy,” he pointed out.

Kolanisi is the father-of-three, with a fiancée who testified during the trial.

The street vendor has previous convictions, for house robbery and animal cruelty, in 2010, and for theft in 2014.

After the proceedings, Radebe said she was satisfied that justice had been served. “Although it will not bring my daughter back, it’s a comfort to the family,” she said.

“If it had been anything less than a life sentence, I would have grieved forever…

“It would have been like she was being murdered over and over again.”

Accused had no regard for her rights or her life