- A man from Mpumalanga has been handed a life sentence for murdering his ex-girlfriend.
- He stabbed her on a bus in front of terrified commuters in January.
- Phindile Portia Mahlangu was taken to a clinic but succumbed to her wounds.
A Mpumalanga man was sentenced to life behind bars for brutally killing his former girlfriend on a bus in front of horrified passengers on 6 January.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli, 28-year-old Titus Timtos Thabo was sentenced by the Mpumalanga division of the High Court sitting at Middelburg on Wednesday.
Thabo took a bus from Pretoria to KwaMhlanga and sat on a seat away from his 27-year-old ex-girlfriend Phindile Portia Mahlangu.
According to evidence presented to the court, Thabo could not accept that Mahlangu had ended their relationship.
"The bus reached Allemansdrift C near Vaalbank, where most commuters alighted, but Mahlangu and Thabo remained with [a] few commuters, as well as the bus driver," Mdhluli said.
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"Thabo then suddenly stood up and walked towards Mahlangu, where an argument ensued about the decision she took regarding their relationship. Thabo then slapped her before stabbing her with a knife several times.
Screamed for help
"Terrified commuters screamed in fear for help [and] the bus driver attempted to stop the bus so that he could intervene. However, Thabo instructed him to continue driving while he went on stabbing Mahlangu, in spite of her pleading for her life.
"He then told the driver to stop and he got off the bus and went home. Mahlangu, who was bleeding profusely, was assisted to a nearby house [from] where she was then taken to the nearest clinic. Unfortunately, she later succumbed to her injuries."
Police were notified about the incident and a case of murder was opened. Thabo's brother convinced him to hand himself over to the Vaalbank police.
Police management in Mpumalanga has welcomed the sentence.
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