In June 2020, Tshegofatso Pule, a 28-year-old South African woman who was 8 months pregnant, was tragically found shot in the chest and hanging from a tree in Durban Deep, Roodepoort.[1][2] An investigation revealed that her boyfriend, Ntuthuko Shoba, had orchestrated her murder by hiring a hitman, Muzikayise Malephane, to kill her.[3][4] Shoba was convicted of conspiracy to murder and related charges in March 2022, following testimony from Malephane in January that detailed their plan.

On July 29, 2022, Shoba was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Stuart Wilson, who emphasized the absence of any mitigating circumstances that could justify deviating from the maximum sentence. Malephane, who had previously pleaded guilty to the murder, received a 20-year sentence.

The murder of Tshegofatso Pule sparked widespread public outrage, highlighting the alarming prevalence of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. The case underscored the urgent need for comprehensive action to address and prevent such atrocities within the country.