The Willowvale Regional Court has sentenced Nkosithandile Mtlaka (32) to 15-year imprisonment for the attempted murder of 84-year-old Noqeshwa Dolisi. The elderly woman was brutally attacked while sleeping alone in her home in the Mandutsha area in Willowvale during the early hours of 30 August 2025. The ordeal began when the victim was awakened by the sound of someone forcefully trying to open the door to her room. She switched on the light, peeped through the window, and shouted at the intruder to leave. Sensing imminent danger, she armed herself with a bush knife and stepped out of her rondavel to alert her grandson, who was sleeping in a separate structure in the same yard.
Meanwhile as soon as she stepped out, the attacker emerged, armed with a knife, and advanced toward her. The victim managed to strike him on the forehead with the bush knife, causing a visible injury, but the blow did not stop him. He proceeded to stab her multiple times, inflicting lacerations measuring between five and ten centimetres. Believing he had overpowered her, the assailant fled, leaving her severely injured.
Her grandson, awakened by the commotion, rushed to assist her and transported her to Butterworth Hospital, where she was admitted for two weeks.
Following her discharge, the victim was taken to Cape Town for further care. Based on her description of the attacker, including the distinctive scar on his forehead, the police were able to identify and arrest Mtlaka. He later confessed to the crime and pleaded guilty to it.
Furthermore, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), welcomed the sentence. NPA regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali stressed that the sentence delivers justice for the victim and sends a clear message that violence against the most vulnerable members of society will not be tolerated.
