A Limpopo woman who believed her father used witchcraft to kill her mother will spend the rest of her life behind bars.
Mologadi Magdeline Mehlape, 28, was handed a life sentence by the Polokwane High Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to the murder of her father, Dr Malekutu Johannes Mehlape, a senior official in the Limpopo Department of Education.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mehlape acted on the belief that her father had a hand in her mother’s death through the use of “muthi”—a traditional African spiritual practice—after being told this by a traditional healer.
“When attempts to retaliate using traditional means failed, she enlisted the help of relatives to arrange a hitman, offering R200,000 for the killing,” explained NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi.
On the night of December 28, 2023, Mehlape reportedly unlocked the family home’s gate and door, allowing the attackers to enter. Her father was shot multiple times in his bedroom while he slept. His valuables, including a cellphone, were stolen.
Police later recovered a Ford Ranger believed to have been used during the crime, and a firearm suspected to be the murder weapon was also found.
In addition to Mehlape, four others were arrested in connection with the murder. Among them is 34-year-old traditional healer Mahlodi Melida Mathole. The remaining accused — Tshepo Gabriel Ranoto, Hlologelo Klaas Mogotlane (both 34), and Michael Sello Molongoane (42) — are expected to appear in court on June 20, 2025. They face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
Despite her guilty plea and a statement apologizing to her family, Mehlape received no leniency. The court found her remorse unconvincing, believing her confession was prompted by overwhelming evidence.
Mehlape is also the primary caregiver to her toddler daughter.