A 23-year-old man, Sibusiso Patrick Shongwe, received a life sentence in South Africa’s Mpumalanga High Court for murdering his three-week-old son in Driekoppies in March 2023.
Shongwe had denied paternity when the child’s mother, Noluthando Mlambo, became pregnant and pressured her to abort. On March 1, he arranged to meet Mlambo and the baby, claiming he wanted to bring items for the infant. When they met on the street with the child’s grandmother, Shongwe dismissed the grandmother.
Moments later, three unknown men distracted Mlambo, enabling Shongwe to grab the baby and run off. The infant’s body was found in nearby bushes two days later. A post-mortem showed death from sharp-force injuries to the neck.
Shongwe denied involvement at trial, but State Advocate Senzo Zindela presented strong evidence, including witness accounts and a confession. The court noted his lack of remorse.
The judge highlighted South Africa’s rampant violent crime and diminishing respect for life, finding no compelling reason to stray from the minimum life term. Shongwe was also declared unfit to own a firearm, and his appeal bid was rejected.
