Chatsworth man sentenced to 22 years for killing partner with beer bottle

A Chatsworth man who pleaded guilty to stabbing his common law wife to death with a beer bottle after accusing her of stealing R1,000,

A Chatsworth man who pleaded guilty to stabbing his common law wife to death with a beer bottle after accusing her of stealing R1,000, was sentenced at the Durban Magistrate’s Court.”

Themba Ntuli, 56, was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment this week by Magistrate Garth Davis.

State prosecutor Johan Sibiya said the victim, Nomzimkhulu Precila Bera, 52, was brutally killed at the couple’s home in Chatsworth on October 11, 2025.

He said the death of the victim was due to physical abuse and domestic violence.

In his guilty plea, Ntuli said he and Bera were in a relationship for 19 years.

He said on the day of the murder, he had attended to some gardening and household chores, and then felt tired and hungry.

“I went into the room and found Bera under the influence of alcohol. I had shared a bottle of beer with her. After I consumed some of the beer with her, I asked her for a meal since I was very hungry.

“She was arguing and told me that she had not prepared a meal. I then went to get some money from under the mattress, where I concealed R1,000 in cash.

“My intention was to take out some money and purchase food. I discovered that the R1,000 was missing.”

Ntuli said he questioned Bera, since she was the only person who had known that he concealed cash under the mattress.

“She denied stealing the money. I became very angry. I picked up the beer bottle, which was not broken, and I began to assault her all over her body.

“At that stage when I was assaulting her with the bottle, I foresaw that my actions would be fatal.

“I know that my actions were wrongful and unlawful, and Bera’s death resulted from the physical abuse I inflicted on her. Even though I consumed some beer, I was not intoxicated.