{"id":44401,"date":"2024-09-12T16:12:57","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T14:12:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/man-receives-life-imprisonment-for-the-murder-of-his-girlfriend-after-stabbing-her-55-times-20240912\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T10:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T08:06:15","slug":"man-receives-life-imprisonment-for-the-murder-of-his-girlfriend-after-stabbing-her-55-times-20240912","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/man-receives-life-imprisonment-for-the-murder-of-his-girlfriend-after-stabbing-her-55-times-20240912\/","title":{"rendered":"Man receives life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend after stabbing her 55 times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sinawo Zenani, 26, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the
\nHigh Court sitting in Butterworth for the brutal murder of his girlfriend,
\nLusanda Sikisi, who was only 27 years at the time of her death.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Luxolo
\nTyali, said Sikisi had a protection order against Zenani when he murdered her.
\nShe had obtained it in 2023. For this violation, Zenani received an additional
\nfive-year sentence, to run concurrently with his life sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe relationship between Zenani and the deceased was marked by
\nviolence, prompting Sikisi to secure a protection order on 29 December 2023,
\nwhich prohibited Zenani from entering her rental property. Sikisi had informed
\nboth her neighbours, through a WhatsApp group, and the police about the
\nprotection order.\u201d Tyali said Sikisi started working as an administrative clerk
\nat the Willowvale Magistrate\u2019s Court two months before her death.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn 25 February 2024, Zenani arrived at Sikisi\u2019s residence at
\nMtshemla Flats, Willowvale, and knocked on her door while calling her name.
\nWhen the door was not opened, the neighbours, as per their agreement, posted
\nupdates in the WhatsApp group about the unfolding situation. Zenani pretended
\nto leave but remained at the premises. When Sikisi eventually opened the door,
\nhe forced his way into her flat. Neighbours overheard an argument followed by
\nthe chilling screams of the deceased. Shortly after, Zenani emerged from the
\nflat, covered in blood and reportedly told the neighbours in isiXhosa, \u2018ndimgqibile<\/em>\u2019 loosely translated to \u2018I
\nhave finished her\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zenani fled the scene but later surrendered at the Butterworth police
\nstation, located over 70km from the crime scene. Tyali said a post mortem
\nrevealed that Sikisi had sustained 55 stab wounds to her upper body. \u201cDuring
\nthe trial, Zenani pleaded not guilty claiming non-pathological temporary
\ninsanity due to anger. However, senior state advocate Nkululeko Mzinyati
\npresented nine witnesses, including testimony that Sikisi had been in hiding at
\nfriends\u2019 homes in fear of Zenani and had only returned to her flat on the day
\nof the murder to do laundry,\u201d Tyali.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a heart-wrenching impact statement during sentencing, Tyali
\nsaid, Sikisi\u2019s mother revealed that Sikisi\u2019s three-year-old child, now an
\norphan, had lost both parents. The child\u2019s father having was killed in a
\nviolent shootout at a funeral, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EC director of public prosecutions, Barry Madolo, welcomed the
\nsentence emphasising the significance of the ruling. \u201cThis sentence highlights
\nthe NPA\u2019s commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of femicide and gender-based
\nviolence are severely punished to deter others. The NPA continues to prosecute
\nhundreds of such cases daily to protect the vulnerable and deliver justice for
\nvictims,\u201d Madolo said. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sinawo Zenani, 26, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court sitting in Butterworth for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Lusanda Sikisi, who was only 27 years at the time of her 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receives life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend after stabbing her 55 times | Mthatha Express<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/man-receives-life-imprisonment-for-the-murder-of-his-girlfriend-after-stabbing-her-55-times-20240912\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Man receives life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend after stabbing her 55 times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sinawo Zenani, 26, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court sitting in Butterworth for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Lusanda Sikisi, who was only 27 years at the time of her death.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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