Former garda spared jail over coercive control of wife

Former soldier Lwanda Mxolisi Zungu was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of his wife, Tania, in Pinetown. According to prosecutors, Zungu had shown no remorse and had not taken accountability for his wife's death, which was committed using specialized ammunition. The court found that Zungu's actions were cold-blooded and overkill, as he shot his wife multiple times with the intent to kill.

Magistrate Muntukayise Khumalo agreed with the prosecution, emphasizing the seriousness of gender-based violence and the need for appropriate responses from the court. Zungu had been in custody for two years and eight months at the time of sentencing, but Khumalo stated that this should not influence the severity of the sentence.

The court also found that Zungu had failed to consider the impact of his actions on his three children, and for this reason, the magistrate declared him unfit to possess a firearm.