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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

A 32-year-old Zimbabwean man has been jailed for six life sentences for hacking to death with an axe his girlfriend and her five children in South Africa last year.

Nowa Makula of Elliotdale was convicted of murdering his girlfriend Nomzamo Mhlanti and five children by the Elliotdale Regional Court in the Eastern Cape.

It is reported that three of the victims were his three biological children, among them a six-month-old toddler.

In a statement, South Africa’s Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) said the killings took place during the commemoration of the 16 days of activism against violence on women and children last year.

“The Commission has been monitoring the case and we are satisfied with the speed in which the verdict was delivered,” said the Commission.

“We are aware that cases of GBV take long to be completed in the courts, with many others not getting a conviction. The CGE trusts that this sentence will serve as a benchmark in speedily addressing GBV cases”.

The Commission also appealed to members of the public, and those in the private sector to take a stand against perpetrators of gender-based violence.

“We will continue as the Gender Commission through our outreach and legal programs to educate and raise awareness,” it said.

According to the statement, members of the public with information about acts of gender-based violence and abuse should contact the GCE on the Toll-Free Number 0027800 007 709 or contact the commission’s nearest offices.