Polokwane Court hands life plus 33 years to Limpopo killer
· Citizen
The Polokwane High Court has handed down one of its toughest sentences yet, condemning a 30-year-old man to life imprisonment plus 33 years for a string of brutal crimes that left two people dead and another seriously injured.
Madimabe Mishack Sebelebele from Smashblock Village in Northam appeared in court on Tuesday, 8 August 2026, where the sentence was handed down.
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He was charged with murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH), and theft after pleading not guilty to all charges.
Trial
During the trial, the court heard that on 04 June 2021, Sebelebele confronted the complainant regarding an alleged affair with his girlfriend, Nthabeleng Mohale, with whom he was in a romantic relationship.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Sebelebele hit the complainant with a beer bottle and stabbed him with a knife. Thereafter, he went in search of Nthabeleng Mohale and upon finding her, he stabbed her to death.
In a separate incident on the same day, Sebelebele was at a drinking place with the second deceased, Matome Philip Maoto, when an argument ensued between them. Maoto walked away, but the accused followed him, stabbed him to death with a knife, and robbed him of his cellphone.
Community members called the police, and they arrested Sebelebele.
Protection order
NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi said that during sentencing proceedings, State Advocate Envar Robin Hartnick submitted that at the time of her death, Nthabeleng had applied for a protection order against Sebelebele as she feared for her life.
“He further submitted that the accused committed the second murder while on bail and that the attacks were violent and brutal. The State argued that the primary aims of sentencing are prevention and deterrence and that society must be protected from persons such as the accused.
Sentence
Malabi said the State concluded that no substantial and compelling circumstances justified deviating from the prescribed minimum sentences.
“In handing down sentence, the court remarked that South Africa is among the countries with the highest murder rates in the world and that victims are not just names in an indictment but real people who occupy space in this world.
“The court stated that there must be consequences for unlawfully taking a life and that the accused showed little respect for human life,” Malabi said.
Murderers
Welcoming the sentence, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Limpopo, Advocate Ivy Thenga, emphasised the importance of human life.
“We will be vigorous in our pursuit of such cases to serve as a deterrent to would-be murderers.”
The DPP further commended the prosecution and investigation team for their excellent work.