Children of slain Limpopo businesswoman traumatised as their father faces life sentence

While the family of slain businesswoman Makoena Leshabane are satisfied her husband was sentenced to a double life sentence for her murder, it is the couple’s children who face the trauma of losing both parents to the crime.

Thabo Leshabane 58, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Limpopo high court in Polokwane on Friday for killing his wife Makoena along with her business partner Tebogo Mphuti.

Makoena, a chartered accountant, and Mphuthi, were shot in a hail of bullets while sitting in a Mercedes-Benz in a Limpopo industrial area on October 10 2020 by hitmen hired by Leshabane. The women were seeking business premises in Polokwane at the time of their killing.

Hitmen Mbekezeli Ndodo Buthelezi, 28, Emmanuel Thembelani Dlamini, 33, and Bhekizenzo Sfiso Phiyose, 36, were also sentenced to life imprisonment on two counts of murder. Buthelezi was sentenced to an additional three years on two counts of possession of firearms and one year for possession of ammunition.

The men were paid a R5,000 deposit while the total agreed amount for the hit on his wife and her business partner was R60,000.

The couple had entered their marriage with children from previous relationships and had two children together. They were aged nine and 11 at the time of their mother’s murder.

Family spokesperson Mmakgabo Ramotshela told TimesLIVE Premium the family was satisfied with the sentencing as it was the harshest the court could hand down.

“We are satisfied because that is the ultimate sentence for a human being. If there were anything more [than a life sentence], we would still require it, but we are satisfied for now. The rest of us are still feeling pain because there are children involved,” he said.

Makgabo said the children suffered additional trauma a week after their mother’s burial when their father was arrested, which has remained for the past four years.

“[Leshabane] is gone now. He is almost 60 and is a sickly person who has heart issues. So by the time he is eligible to be released after 25 years, his children will be grown adults, probably married and living in their own homes.

“It’s like he died along with their mother as he was the one that killed their mother. We believe, in our hearts, he couldn’t control his feelings at the time.”

He said the children, now aged 13 and 15, are living with their aunt, Makoena’s younger sister, who had been attending every court case to see justice being served for her sister’s murder.

“Our cry now is for the two children who lost their parents abruptly and traumatically. Now, he is gone for good,” Ramotshela said.

Leshabane was nabbed when his hitmen were caught on CCTV cameras from surrounding buildings where police were able to obtain the registration details of the vehicle used during the murder.

This was traced at toll gates and the vehicle was found to have travelled to Gauteng. Details of the vehicle from tracking companies and cellphone records led to the arrest of the men.

Leshabane was arrested while he was in hospital after an alleged suicide attempt.

NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the state led evidence during the trial from two experts from tracking companies. They told the court the accused followed the car the two women were travelling in from a hotel to the crime scene.

During aggravation of sentence arguments, Leshabane’s stepson testified he and his siblings were coping by getting counselling but asked why their mother was killed.