'He showed no remorse': Former soldier sentenced to life for murdering wife in Pinetown - IOL

A Pinetown Regional Court magistrate found that former soldier Lwanda Mxolisi Zungu had shown no remorse after shooting his wife, Tania, eight times with specialised ammunition, at their home in January 2024.

Magistrate Muntukayise Khumalo said Zungu had failed to present any substantial and compelling circumstances warranting a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence.

“Aggravating factors far outweigh the mitigating factors in this case,” Khumalo said.

Before the sentence was handed down, Zungu’s counsel, advocate Musa Mzelemu, urged the court not to be influenced by public anger over gender-based violence when considering his client’s sentence.

“It’s important that the objectivity of this court must still be intact in these proceedings and not be influenced by public opinion in that there are many women being killed by their partners and so accused must be sacrificed at the altar of deterrence,” Mzelemu said.

Mzelemu argued that Zungu should not receive a harsher sentence because the murder was not planned.

Tania Msane-Zungu and her husband Lwanda Zungu in happier times.

He said the shooting occurred inside the couple’s bedroom rather than in a secluded area and argued that it happened in a “spare moment” rather than as a premeditated act.

Mzelemu also urged the court to consider that Zungu was the father of three children, whom he had supported before his incarceration.

He asked the court to give Zungu an opportunity to have a second chance with his children, rebuild his relationship with them and be present for some of their future milestones.

He further asked the court to consider that Zungu had already spent two years and eight months in custody.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the offence, Mzelemu said: “This should not be a factor to influence the court to impose severe sentences without considering the circumstances in which the offence was committed.”

However, State prosecutor Lethuxolo Nene argued that Zungu had still not taken the court fully into his confidence about his wife’s death and had failed to take accountability.

“He may say he is remorseful but he does not appear to be,” Nene said.

Nene said Zungu intended to kill Tania, pointing to the number of times he shot her.

“We are not dealing with one shot, but numerous to ensure death of the deceased. And therefore one cannot say it was not cold blood, it was an overkill. He continued to shoot over and over,” she said.

Nene urged the court not to deviate from the minimum sentence, arguing that Zungu had failed to establish substantial and compelling circumstances.

“He is dangerous and such individuals should not be allowed to possess guns,” she said, asking the court to declare the former soldier unfit to possess a firearm.

Khumalo agreed with the State, stressing the seriousness of gender-based violence and the need for courts to respond appropriately.

He noted that the government, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, had taken initiatives to combat GBV.

“It can’t be business as usual. The rate at which society has had to deal with GBV can’t be underestimated,” Khumalo said.

The magistrate also found that Zungu had shown no remorse, noting that he did not seek medical assistance for his wife after shooting her but instead left her in a pool of blood and travelled to Johannesburg.

Khumalo declared Zungu unfit to possess a firearm in addition to imposing the life sentence.