WILLOMORE – A 38-year-old woman has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, marking her second conviction for killing a romantic partner in what authorities describe as a disturbing pattern of domestic violence.
Maria Jordaan was found guilty by the Willowmore Regional Court for the murder of her boyfriend, Koos Noble (48), following a fatal stabbing incident in October 2024 at Witkopskuil Farm in the Sarah Baartman District.
The court heard that the couple’s relationship turned deadly during a verbal altercation when Noble referenced Jordaan’s criminal past. “You’re a killer, you want to kill me too,” Noble allegedly said, referring to her previous murder conviction.
In response, Jordaan retrieved a knife and fatally stabbed Noble in the neck. He died on the scene. The farm owner reported the incident to police, and Jordaan surrendered herself to authorities.
This marks Jordaan’s second murder conviction involving a romantic partner. In 2011, she was found guilty of killing another boyfriend in a similar domestic violence case. While initially sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, she served approximately 10 years before her sentence was overturned on appeal by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Despite Jordaan’s admission of guilt, Prosecutor Temba Mathew Mavakala argued for the maximum sentence, stating that no substantial or compelling circumstances justified deviating from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. The prosecution emphasized both the domestic nature of the crime and Jordaan’s previous conviction.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Barry Madolo, welcomed the outcome: “This sentence reinforces our commitment to combating domestic violence. We commend the investigating team and the prosecution for ensuring that justice was served.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence and said it sends a clear message that violence in domestic relationships will not be tolerated and that perpetrators will be held fully accountable under the law.
