Zinhle Maditla handed four life sentences for killing children
The Mpumalanga mother who murdered her
four children with rat poison will spend the rest of her life in jail. The sentence was handed down at the high court sitting in Middelburg in Mpumalanga on Friday.
Zinhle Maditla fed her three children rat poison in the food she had
prepared for them in December last year.
She also smeared poison on her breast to administer the poison to the one child who was still being breastfed.
The 25-year-old killed her children following an altercation with the father of her youngest child, Mfanafuthi Shongwe.
Judge Shiela Mpahlela said the woman had intent to kill her children and premeditated the murders.
“She had over 20 minutes of travel time from Shongwe’s home to her place and further she took time to administer the poison to her children. The accused was intent on the killing of her children, and she made sure her plan was executed.”
It is unclear whether the sentences will run concurrently.
