By OBAKENG MAJE
10 September 2026 – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the life imprisonment sentence imposed by the Eastern Cape High Court in Mthatha on the accused, Lindile Gojana (32) for the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Xoliseka Mbali. Despite pleading guilty, Gojana attempted to minimise his criminal conduct by admitting only to assault with intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH).
The NPA regional spokesperson in Eastern Cape, Luxolo Tyali said, however, through the evidence presented by the prosecution, the state successfully proved that he was guilty of premeditated murder. Tyali said the court heard that the accused and the deceased were in a romantic relationship and lived together at the accused’s family home in the Nothintsila area of Nqeleni.
“On the afternoon of 21 October 2025, the accused had been consuming traditional sorghum beer with his grandmother when the deceased’s former boyfriend walked past their home. Shortly afterwards, the deceased indicated that she wished to go out, which sparked an argument between the couple.
“During the altercation, the deceased jumped out of a window of the rondavel and ran in the direction in which her former boyfriend had been walking. The accused pursued her, caught up with her, and stabbed her multiple times,” he said.
Tyali further said Gojana then forced her back to their room and placed her on a bed. He added that Mbali later succumbed to her injuries. The accused surrendered himself to police later that evening.
“During the trial, the accused submitted a written plea explanation in which he claimed that he had been intoxicated and overcome by anger when he attacked the deceased. The state advocate, Chumile Mkentane led the evidence of the accused’s grandmother and the pathologist who compiled the post-mortem report.
“Their testimony painted a chilling picture of a deliberate and brutal attack, clearly demonstrating the accused’s intention to kill,” said Tyali.
Welcoming the sentence, Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the Eastern Cape, Advocate Samkelo Mtwana said: “This sentence sends a strong message that perpetrators of violence against women will be held fully accountable for their actions.
“The NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring justice for victims of gender-based violence and femicide, while supporting efforts to eradicate these crimes from our communities.”
Mtwana further said the NPA remains committed to vigorously prosecuting perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and ensuring that justice is delivered for victims, their families and affected communities.
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