Nompelo Maloyi, a 37-year-old South African woman, has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for hiring her neighbor to kill her uncle, Mynhardt Maloyi, to benefit from his insurance policies.

Alongside her accomplice, Yithulwazi “Lwazi” Kay, also sentenced to 26 years, she orchestrated the murder for a total insurance payout of R165,000. Mynhardt, 66, was discovered in his Graaff-Reinet home with multiple stab wounds in November 2022.

Evidence revealed that Nompelo, who acted as his primary caregiver, gained access to his home and planned the attack with Kay. After the murder, she feigned concern and asked a neighbor to check on Mynhardt under the pretense of delivering groceries.

Nompelo attempted to claim the insurance money, but her involvement was uncovered when Kay began threatening her over unpaid fees.

The prosecution initially sought a life sentence, but the court imposed a lesser sentence, which the NPA plans to appeal.

This case underscores the troubling trend of murders committed for financial gain in South Africa.