A Mankweng Regional Court has sentenced 41‑year‑old Sergeant Makgwadi Alfred Malemela to life imprisonment for the attempted murder of his former girlfriend, 38‑year‑old Victoria Ramaphoko, after he shot her six times at close range at her workplace.
Attack happened at Mankweng Magistrate’s Court
The incident occurred on 27 September 2024 at about 16:30 when Malemela approached Ramaphoko at the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court and allegedly proposed they reconcile. According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Ramaphoko refused and Malemela then produced his service firearm and shot her six times at close range.
The prosecution established that Malemela acted in contravention of an active domestic violence protection order which had been granted after the end of their relationship three years earlier. Court reports described the relationship as abusive, with alleged repeated threats by Malemela against Ramaphoko.
Sentence and additional orders
Presiding magistrate Marais described the attack as “heinous and gruesome” in delivering sentence. For the count of attempted murder the court imposed life imprisonment. For contravening the protection order the court handed down a further two‑year sentence, to run concurrently. Malemela was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
| Offence | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Attempted murder | Life imprisonment |
| Contravention of protection order | 2 years (concurrent) |
| Firearm status | Declared unfit to possess a firearm |
IPID and family respond
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate welcomed the sentence. IPID spokesperson Lizzy Shuping confirmed the sequence of events in a statement to media, noting the protection order ban on contact at the time of the shooting.
“At the time of the shooting incident, Malemela violated an active domestic violence protection order that barred him from contacting Ramaphoko,” said Lizzy Shuping.
According to news reports, members of Ramaphoko’s family who attended the two‑year trial were relieved by the outcome and expressed gratitude for the support they received during the legal process.
Context: police perpetrators and accountability
This case highlights several intersecting concerns: intimate partner violence, the safety of complainants who continue to use public services such as courts, and the conduct of serving police officers. IPID’s involvement and public statement follow a pattern in which the independent oversight body investigates serious incidents in which members of SAPS are implicated.
Under South African law, protection orders are intended to shield complainants from further harm. When they are breached — particularly by a person who has access to a service firearm — the consequences can be severe, as this sentence demonstrates.
What victims and witnesses should know
Anyone subject to a protection order who fears for their safety should continue to note the following practical steps:
- Keep a copy of the protection order with you at all times and provide copies to your employer and local court where relevant.
- Report any breach immediately to SAPS and request a written acknowledgement; ask for the incident to be logged at the relevant police station.
- Contact IPID if a serving police officer is involved in criminal conduct or you believe the police response is inadequate.
The court record and IPID statement form the basis of the published reports on this matter. No further details about Malemela’s defence were available in the reports consulted. The sentence was handed down at the Mankweng Regional Court on 17 September 2026, according to court reporting.
The case will be noted by domestic‑violence support groups and oversight bodies concerned with officer conduct. It also underlines the need for robust protective measures at public workplaces, including courts, where complainants may still be at risk.
