Tinyiko Baloyi was given a life sentence by the Johannesburg High Court for the May 27, 2023, kidnapping and murder of Karabo Maluleke, a student at North West University.
Baloyi, a 41-year-old man, kidnapped Maluleke from the university’s Potchefstroom campus because he thought she was having an extramarital affair.
Her family and friends made an effort to contact her during the three days that Baloyi held her captive in a guest house in Roodepoort.
They filed a missing person’s report after she became unreachable.
For his part in the 21-year-old student’s abduction and eventual burning to death, Baloyi was charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of murder.
Charred body found in the veld
Three days following the abduction, Baloyi took Maluleke to an open field in Doornkop, where he bound her hands and feet, doused her in petrol, and set her ablaze.
Five days after the incident, her burned remains were found in the field.
After following the accused’s movements, police found that he had rented a car in order to transport Maluleke from Potchefstroom to the guesthouse.
After killing her, he returned the vehicle to the rental company.
He attempted to flee the town by exchanging his phone for cash at a taxi rank and then making his way to his Giyani home, where he was eventually caught.
Baloyi entered a guilty plea and provided testimony in support of a lighter sentence, pointing out his compliance with the law.
In addition, he claimed that he paid Maluleke’s tuition and gave her a laptop as part of his efforts to ensure her wellbeing.
Impact on the family
The mother of the deceased, Khensane Maluleke, detailed in a statement the horrifying circumstances surrounding her daughter’s brutal murder.
In her testimony, she stated that the tragic loss had a significant impact on her entire family.
She added that she had been looking forward to her daughter’s academic achievement, which she believed would change their family’s situation and make their lives better.
