A former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member has been sentenced to 18 years’ direct imprisonment for murdering his girlfriend in Limpopo.
Thabo Lawrence Monyane, 42, was sentenced by the Polokwane High Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to the murder of his 34-year-old girlfriend, Eniphe Sebolaishi Leso. The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the murder took place at Ga-Malepetleke Village in the Mahwelereng policing area in the Waterberg District on December 5, 2025.
According to Ledwaba, Leso was walking along a street with a friend at about 9.10pm when Monyane approached them in a maroon Hyundai i20.
An argument allegedly broke out after Monyane accused Leso of being unfaithful. He then attacked and stabbed her several times with a sharp object before fleeing the scene in his vehicle.
Emergency Medical Services personnel were called to the scene and certified Leso dead.
Ledwaba said police arrested Monyane following an intensive investigation. The suspected murder weapon and a bloodstained T-shirt were also seized as exhibits.
Monyane appeared in the Mahwelereng Magistrate’s Court on December 8, 2025, where he was denied bail. He remained in custody until the matter was transferred to the Polokwane High Court.
The investigation was conducted by Sergeant Martin Dutja, whose work led to Monyane’s conviction and lengthy prison sentence.
Ledwaba said Limpopo provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers welcomed the sentence and commended Dutja and other members involved in the investigation.
“This sentence demonstrates the commitment of the SAPS to thoroughly investigate cases of violence against women and ensure that perpetrators are brought before the courts,” Scheepers said.
“The brutal killing of women, particularly within intimate relationships, remains a serious concern. We will continue working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide face the full might of the law.”
Ledwaba said Monyane was serving as a SANDF member at the time of the murder.
