KZN beauty therapist kills her husband’s second wife because he bought her a car

A KZN woman felt her husband did not treat both his wives equally, so she decided to kill the wife.

A KZN woman felt her husband did not treat both his wives equally, so she decided to kill the wife.

Published Oct 24, 2024

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A 55-year-old KwaZulu-Natal beauty therapist pleaded guilty to killing her husband’s second wife because she was jealous he bought her a new car.

Jane Mthethwa, from Richard’s Bay pleaded guilty in the Pietermaritzburg High Court to murder and theft on Thursday.

In a Section 105A plea and sentence agreement Mthethwa, a mother of five, outlined events leading up to the murder of Witness Thulisiwe Mthethwa.

Witness was Jane’s husband, Robinson Nhlanhla Mthethwa’s, second customary wife.

In her plea handed to the court by Legal SA attorney Amanda Hulley, Jane said had been in a customary marriage with Robinson for about 20 years.

She said in 2013, Robinson took Witness as his second customary wife.

She said following her husband’s second marriage, she felt that Robinson no longer loved her as he stopped visiting and staying at her house.

Jane said he started living and staying with Witness more often.

She said this led to her becoming depressed and she started having health issues.

Jane was diagnosed with diabetes and blood pressure problems.

She told the court the problems became worse when her husband would make his second wife buy her groceries.

He then bought Witness a car.

She claimed that he never bought her a car and this upset her.

Jane said she decided that because she was not being treated equally, she would kill Witness out of anger and jealousy.

She hatched a plan to steal Mandlakhe Mthethwa’s firearm. Mandlakhe was her husband’s son from another woman.

She then hired her friend’s boyfriend to kill Witness for R25,000.

The boyfriend was a hitman and loan shark, according to her knowledge.

On June 30, 2024 Jane drove the hitman to Witness’s house as she knew her husband was working night shift.

After he killed her, she went back and fetched him. Jane said when she returned home, her husband contacted her to inform her that Witness was shot and that she should get their daughter to drive her to the hospital.

Jane said she accompanied the daughter to Witness's house where they found she had been alive and sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

They drove her to Bay Hospital in Richards Bay.

A few days later on July 6, 2024 Jane said she received a call from her husband that Witness had died.

A week later on July 15, 2024, Jane was arrested and charged for the murder.

Judge Rob Mossop sentenced Jane to 25 years for murder and five years for theft of the gun.

The court heard that in 2009 Jane was convicted on fraud charges and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment which was wholly suspended for five years.

The matter was prosecuted by State Advocate Julius Khathi.

Jane said she was truly remorseful for her actions.

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