Hazyview Man Sentenced to Life for Murdering His Wife
Mbombela, Mpumalanga — The High Court of South Africa, Mpumalanga Division sitting in Mbombela, has sentenced Ralf Malambe (37) to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of his wife, Phumla Francinah Maphanga, at Nyongane Trust in Hazyview.
In addition to the life sentence, Malambe received 15 years’ imprisonment for possession of an unlicensed firearm and five years for possession of ammunition. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning he will effectively serve life imprisonment.
According to court proceedings, Malambe and Maphanga had been experiencing marital difficulties and were living together with their child. Tensions reportedly escalated after Maphanga submitted a claim to the Road Accident Fund (RAF) following a car accident. When her attorneys requested banking details to process the claim, Malambe allegedly became interested in the expected payout.
On 1 September 2024, both families gathered at the couple’s home in an attempt to mediate their disputes. When talks failed, Maphanga decided to pack her belongings and return to her parental home. During this time, Malambe entered the room and pointed a firearm at her. Maphanga reported the threat to her relatives, but as she made her way to the car, Malambe followed her and shot her multiple times in the chest before striking her on the head with the butt of the firearm. She was declared dead at the scene, and the accused fled before handing himself over to police three days later.
During sentencing, State Advocate Senzo Zindela highlighted the seriousness of domestic violence and femicide in South Africa, noting that Malambe’s guilty plea was influenced by the overwhelming evidence against him. Zindela urged the court to impose the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.
The court also took into account a Victim Impact Statement submitted by Maphanga’s mother, facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Nomfundo Mokoena, and the post-mortem report, which confirmed that Maphanga died from multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma to the head.
In delivering judgment, the Presiding Officer said the murder was driven by greed and emphasized the need for the justice system to send a strong message against gender-based violence. The court found no compelling reason to deviate from the minimum sentence and declared Malambe unfit to possess a firearm.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence, commending the swift conclusion of the matter. The NPA reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) cases, stating that the ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable members of society and holding perpetrators accountable.
