What happened
Tshegofatso Pule, who was pregnant, was killed in Johannesburg in 2020 in a case that triggered nationwide anger about violence against women.
The investigation
Police arrested Muzikayise Malephane, whose evidence and communications helped investigators identify Pule’s boyfriend, Ntuthuko Shoba, as the person who arranged the killing.
What the courts or investigators concluded
Both men were convicted in separate proceedings and received severe prison sentences.
Why the case remains significant
Pule’s case became a prominent symbol in South Africa’s debate over gender-based violence, intimate-partner abuse and the need for more effective prevention and prosecution.
Case context
Crime by Region organizes cases geographically so readers can move from one file to other investigations from the same country. For unresolved or contested cases, the wording above reflects the distinction between confirmed events, investigative theories and findings actually established in court.