'I am not sure how many times I stabbed her'

Walter Waterboer pleaded guilty to the murder of Marthi Lesala in December last year. Picture: Soraya Crowie/ANA Pictures

Walter Waterboer pleaded guilty to the murder of Marthi Lesala in December last year. Picture: Soraya Crowie/ANA Pictures

Published May 16, 2017

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Kimberley - Amidst the national outcry against the abuse of women by their intimate partners, a Griquatown man, Walter Waterboer, on Monday admitted to killing his partner, Marthi Lesala, by stabbing her to death just days before Christmas last year.

Waterboer, 26, appeared in the Northern Cape High on a charge of murder as well as a charge of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm for stabbing Getro Brouwers. The incident happened on December 22, 2016.

Waterboer admitted in his plea explanation to stabbing his partner several times with a knife following a heated argument.

“On the day of the incident I was with Brouwers, who is my neighbour. We were busy drinking and at some stage we decided to go to the store to buy more liquor. I was already under the influence of alcohol but was aware of my actions and surroundings. On our way back home we got a lift from Halley Links. We were five people seated inside the car. One of the passengers said that Lesala had told him that I was the cause of her breakup with her previous boyfriend. That statement angered me. When we arrived home, the deceased greeted the passengers inside the vehicle and I told her not to greet them. Brouwers went to his house but Lesala and I got into an argument,” Waterboer said.

He said that the the deceased was the first to pick up a weapon.

“The deceased grabbed a knife and a wood pestle. She stabbed me above my left knee with the knife. I then took the knife from her and threw it away. Brouwers came to the house and intervened in the argument. I went to sit on the couch and the deceased was filled with rage. She threw an empty beer bottle at me but missed after I ducked. Brouwers again intervened but the deceased just carried on throwing things at me. The argument became physical and we pushed each other. The deceased bit the right side of my chin. Brouwers this time took the deceased outside the house and asked his wife to assist him in stopping the fight.”

Waterboer said that the deceased, however, tried to stab him again.

“The deceased came into the house and grabbed the knife. I managed to take it away from her. At that stage I totally lost control and told the deceased that I would stab her to death. The deceased ran from me and I chased after her. Brouwers tried to stop me but I told him to let me go and took a stab at him too but missed. The deceased was outside and I managed to grab her. I then stabbed her several times in the back and chest. I am not sure how many wounds I inflicted, but suspect it may have been about 10."

“I was very angry at the deceased for assaulting and swearing at me. After the incident, I immediately felt remorse for my actions and tried to resuscitate her by applying mouth-to-mouth. I immediately confessed to the police when they arrived at the scene.”

Waterboer will remain in custody and the matter was postponed for the testimony of the doctor who conducted the post-mortem on Lesala.

Waterboer’s court appearance comes just days after #MenAreTrash trended on social media following the killing of Karabo Mokoena, who was allegedly murdered and set alight by her boyfriend Sandile Mantsoe.

Mokoena’s burnt body was found in a ditch in a veld in Lyndhurst on April 29. She was reported missing two days before she was found dead.

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