The distraught mother of trainee pilot Iman Tshakeni, 20, who was killed in July last year, is disappointed that the family of her daughter’s killer has not apologised for the harm to her family.
Asanda Tshakeni was speaking after the Durban high court sentenced Ndabenhle Majola, 37, to life imprisonment for Iman’s murder and 10 years for rape on Friday.
Iman, 21, was found dead at a Canelands farm north of Durban. She was partially naked and her hands were bound.
Majola who had pleaded not guilty, worked at a refrigeration installation and repair company. After his arrest he had a succession of Legal Aid representatives — some of whom withdrew as a result of unpaid fees.
“There were supposed to be elder people from Majola’s family who should have reached out and made amends with us. On a previous occasion, one elderly man related to Majola was in court. They were supposed to be here today. I just don’t understand the way they do things,” said Tshakeni.
She said her family were willing to give Majola’s family an audience.
“ We wanted see that they are indeed remorseful. After all they did not send him to kill my daughter. Even when the time comes for Majola to be eligible for parole, it would be difficult for me to motivate for him to be granted parole,” said Tshakeni.
Shortly after handing down the sentence, acting judge Brenda Sibiya summoned Tshakeni’s mother from the public gallery to the front of the courtroom.
Sibiya said that should Majola be considered for parole, the parole board should consult her.
The body of trainee fixed-wing pilot Iman Tshakeni, 20, was found on a farm in Canelands, north of Durban. (Supplied)
A teary Tshakeni said her daughter was her first born for whom she had made immense financial sacrifices.
“She had dreams and was a clever and brave girl. She was a visionary. I dont know when exactly this pain will subside because on some days all I do is cry.”
Majola did not testify in mitigation of sentencing.
In delivering sentence, Sibiya said gender-based-violence was the biggest pandemic since Covid-19.
She said though his Legal Aid attorney Patrick Mkhumbuzi had gone to great lengths to use Majola’s personal circumstances to justify the deviation from the minimum sentences, it was the “heinious” nature of the crime against Iman and the impact on her family and society that was the outweighing factor.
The court heard that the father of seven, originally from Melmoth in northern KwaZulu-Natal, earned R51,000 a month and was a breadwinner for his family.
“Tshakeni was a young promising student whose life and that of her unborn twins was extinguished,” said Sibiya.
She said Tshakeni’s mother’s trauma had been laid bare in a victim impact statement.
Sibiya said Majola’s sister, who testified in mitigation of sentence and pleaded for mercy for her brother, did not move the court.
“The apology tendered on Majola’s behalf was meaningless. In order for retribution, the offender must accept responsibility,” said Sibiya.
She said the court rejected arguments that alcohol diminished Majola’s reasoning.
“He was fully aware of what he was doing. He drove around with Tshakeni and stopped at Roger Sishi road in Westville. The court finds he had intention and his actions were clearly calculated.”
She also ruled that Majola was unfit to possess a firearm and his name should be listed on the sexual offences register.
TimesLIVE
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