Student jailed for life over fatal stabbing of girlfriend in George

A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the George regional court for stabbing a Nelson Mandela University student to death in her room.

Luyanda Mahlanza was handed the sentence for murdering Zimkhitha Ntshisela after the state proved his claims of acting in self-defence false.

Mahlanza — a second-year student at the same university’s George satellite campus — and the deceased were in her room on June 6 2023 when it was noticed that something was wrong.

“Witnesses to this suspicious action called the university student assistant to help, and when he opened the door he saw Mahlanza stabbing the deceased. The student assistant dived at [Mahlanza] to get him off the deceased and the knife fell on the floor,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.

“The student assistant restrained [Mahlanza], but the 22-year-old still attempted to stab the deceased while being restrained. Police arrested him the same day.”

Mahlanza pleaded guilty, claiming while in the room Ntshisela accused him of cheating and tried to stab him. He told the court he disarmed her but anger overcame him and he started stabbing her. When he heard other students at the door he stopped stabbing her, threw the knife under the bed and opened the door.

“Regional court prosecutor advocate Karin Barnard declined [Mahlanza's] guilty plea as his claims were not the true version of what happened. Barnard told the court the student assistant had to use a spare key to open the door and when he opened it, [Mahlanza] was still bent over the deceased, stabbing her, and he had to dive to remove him from the deceased,” said Ntabazalila.

Barnard argued he did not plead guilty out of remorse but rather as a strategy to try to lessen his punishment.

“The probation officer’s report indicates that this court is dealing with an aggressive offender. Domestic violence has become such a huge problem. Like other men before him, finding themselves in the same situation, anger is being given the blame. The victim is being blamed. Everything other than themselves,” she said. 

“This is a serious crime he is convicted of. Not only was it committed against a young female victim, 20, but also a victim who was in a romantic relationship with him.

“It was committed on the property of a tertiary institution where young people come to study and develop their skills to not only better their own lives but in most cases also that of their families. When parents enrol their children in these institutions, which are mostly far from their family home, they trust their children will be safe.

“Society should be protected against [Mahlanza] and his problem with aggression. The court has a legal duty to protect society.”

The court agreed with the state and imposed a life sentence.

Western Cape director of public prosecutions advocate Nicolette Bell said: “Our society has a huge challenge of gender-based violence and femicide. This is affecting young people and young women at institutions of higher learning are being affected. It can never be overemphasised how important human life is and therefore we will be vigorous in our pursuit of these cases to serve as a deterrent to would-be murderers.”

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