Life jail term for woman who helped murder Soweto mom, kidnap her baby

The Johannesburg high court has sentenced 29-year-old Nelisiwe Twala to life imprisonment for her role in the murder of a young mother in Zola, Soweto.

She was also sentenced to five years for kidnapping Nonhlakanipho Lukhozi's three-month-old baby and 18 months for defeating the administration of justice.

Lukhozi, 26, was murdered on June 10 2019 by Twala and co-perpetrator Xolani Mkhize, 45. Mkhize is a cousin of Lukhozi's husband.

She was stabbed multiple times with a knife and a screwdriver, targeting her face, neck, head, torso and ribs.

"In a specially horrifying act, Twala poured boiling water on Lukhozi’s face before stripping her naked and placing her body in a wheelie bin, which they discarded in a nearby field," said National Prosecuting Authority Gauteng spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.

The pair kidnapped Lukhozi's infant and attempted to disguise their crime by cleaning the scene and removing evidence, she said. They even presented the child as Twala’s own to her family.

Mkhize is serving a life sentence after he was convicted in 2019. Twala managed to evade capture until October 2022.

Initially pleading not guilty, Twala's plea changed after her co-perpetrator's testimony against her when he was called as a state witness.

"In a calculated move to distance herself from the crime, Twala reversed her plea to guilty. However, the court rejected the plea, concluding she had prioritised her self-interest and attempted to manipulate the justice system to escape accountability," Mjonondwane said.

Senior state advocate Matshediso Phatlanyane, who handled the case, noted the challenges inherent in working with co-perpetrators and their potential to recant testimony.

“The successful conviction of Twala underscores the commitment of the NPA to combat gender-based violence and human trafficking,” Phatlanyane said.

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