Man sentenced to 20 years for breaking down door, window and killing mother of his child

DURBAN – A KwaZulu-Natal man has been jailed for 20 years for killing the mother of his child in Ntuzuma in 2019.

Mduduzi Mdukani, 35, was arrested in 2019 after the murder of Noliswa Nhleko, 22 in Ntuzuma. He was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment at the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court on May 20.

Describing the incident, police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that Mudukani broke the door and window of Nhleko’s home before gaining entry and assaulting her.

“On 7 July, 2019, at 6am, Noliswa Nhleko was at her place of residence on Mthelekisi Road in Ntuzuma with her four-year-old daughter when the father of the child, Mduduzi Mdukani, broke the door and window. He assaulted her with a concrete pole on the face and head following a domestic dispute.

“Her daughter, who witnessed the incident, ran to her grandmother to seek help. The mother succumbed to her injuries at the scene.”

Gwala added that Mdukani went into hiding and was arrested in Gauteng in September 2019.

“A case of murder was opened for investigation at Ntuzuma police station. Mdukani left the area and went into hiding in Gauteng. In September 2019, police proceeded to Gauteng and arrested the accused for murder. He appeared in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court and was remanded in custody.

“On 20 May, 2022, he was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by the Ntuzuma Regional Court.”

Gwala said that the fight against the abuse and gender-based violence (GBV) was a 365-day commitment that required everyone to take action.

“We encourage all victims to never be afraid to speak out and we salute those who stand their ground by reporting perpetrators instead of shielding them. The only way to remove perpetrators of GBV in our society is to put them behind bars where they belong.”