Mlamuli Mondli Khoza has been sentenced to five consecutive terms of life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the brutal murders of five of his family members in the Bethany area of Bergville in October 2024.
Khoza’s horrific crime captured national attention in October 2024, when KwaZulu-Natal SAPS spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshuinda revealed that a large-scale manhunt had been initiated following the stabbing spree, where Khoza, in a cold and calculated act of violence, took the lives of his relatives.
At the time, Colonel Netshuinda explained that reports suggested Khoza found his mother sitting in the lounge with other family members. In an unexpected turn of events, while everyone was seated, Khoza retrieved a knife and stabbed his mother. Although severely wounded, she managed to escape outside.
However, the horror continued as Khoza then turned his attention to his uncle, who tragically succumbed to his injuries in the passage of the house while attempting to flee to neighbours. The bloodshed did not end there. Khoza proceeded to fatally stab two young girls, aged two and six, before attacking a disabled woman and another elderly female visitor.
Thankfully, Khoza’s mother, along with one of the girls, managed to survive despite the numerous stab wounds they sustained. Khoza’s sister also managed to escape the house with her four-year-old daughter, narrowly avoiding further tragedy.
As the incident sent shockwaves across Northern KwaZulu-Natal and the nation, justice was served on Friday, 6 December 2024, when Khoza was sentenced to five terms of life imprisonment by the Pietermaritzburg High Court. Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), shared details of Khoza’s plea. She explained that Khoza recounted how, on the day prior to the murders, he had been drinking at a tavern and watching soccer.
“He suspects that at some point, someone had put something in his drink. The following day, 12 October 2024, he was at home when his aunt and her family arrived for a visit. They were sitting at the dining room table when his mother offered him food.
He became angry and ignored her,” Ramkisson-Kara explained. Moreover, she added that Khoza further confessed to harbouring suspicions that his mother had bewitched him.
Ramkisson-Kara continued, revealing that Khoza then entered the kitchen, retrieved a knife, and returned to the dining room where he attacked his family members, including three adults and two young children. After fleeing the house, Khoza later returned to find the police at his home, where he surrendered himself. He acknowledged that he was fully aware his actions were unlawful but proceeded regardless. Ramkisson-Kara said he also expressed remorse for his actions.
In the aggravation of the sentence, Advocate Zinhle Sokhela submitted Victim Impact Statements compiled by the families of the victims, with the assistance of Court Preparation Officer Mbali Komane.
“The children of one of the deceased adult females said that their mother was a loving person. They now live in endless agony and shock, and the image of their mother’s lifeless body is forever etched in their minds. Other family members stated they do not wish to ever see Khoza again. They live in fear and terror, and hope the court will impose a sentence fitting to the gravity of his crimes,” explained Ramkisson-Kara, adding that Khoza was sentenced accordingly.
Reflecting on the sentencing, Ramkisson-Kara commended the work of both the Prosecution and the Police. “It is our responsibility to seek justice on behalf of victims of crime. We hope that stringent sentences like this send a clear message of our dedication to fighting crime,” she concluded.
As Mlamuli Mondli Khoza prepares to serve his long sentence, we invite you to share your thoughts on this case in the comments section below.
