Pretoria - The Mthatha Regional Court has sentenced Sivuyile Tshuta to 22 years imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Zandile Ntonga, during a night out.
Tshuta, 41, entered into a plea and sentencing agreement with the State, where he admitted to having shot and killed the 40-year-old with his licensed firearm while they were travelling in her car.
According to his plea explanation, Tshuta shot Ntonga after they had an argument on the night of 17 September last year.
He said they had gone to a braai where they had some alcohol.
On their way back, they quarrelled, and Tshuta drew out his firearm and shot her several times, killing her instantly.
During mitigation, the father of three, who is married to another woman, took responsibility for his actions and said alcohol contributed to what transpired on the night of the incident.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the court automatically declared Tshuta unfit to possess a firearm in the future.
“The NPA has ensured that yet another gender-based violence and femicide perpetrator has been duly punished,” Tshuta said.
IOL