‘No justice today’ — Family of murdered Pastry Princess reacts to sentencing verdict

“We are shocked, we are disappointed. Effectively he has walked and she got no justice, her life was not worth it. That’s what women mean in this country. We didn’t get justice today, our child is not coming back and we now have to deal with being failed by the justice system. 

These were the words of ActionSA MP Dr Kgosi Letlape, speaking to journalists at the Johannesburg High Court on Friday, 19 September.

Letlape was referring to the sentencing verdict for Sibusiso Zitha, who pleaded guilty to the murder of his daughter, celebrated pastry chef Thembekile Letlape. The case has gripped the nation, bringing to light the tragic consequences of intimate-partner violence and the urgent need for justice in South Africa’s fight against gender-based violence.

Nearly 16 months after she was stabbed to death, her former partner, Zitha, who pleaded guilty to her murder, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Judge Shanaaz Mia said the gravity of the harm was amplified as Letlape was in an intimate relationship and was killed in her home which she ought to have felt safe in. 

“The incidents of gender based violence as this matter characterises is on the increase. It has been noted that every 10 minutes a woman is intentionally killed by her partner or family,” Mia said. 

The judge added that the Letlape family had been severely affected as their daughter had brought joy to their lives and her absence left a huge void. Despite highlighting the rising rates of gender-based violence and emphasising the need for sentencing that served  as a deterrent, Judge Mia said the sentence of 15 years was appropriate. 

In determining the sentence, Mia said it was noted that Zitha expressed remorse, took responsibility for his actions, confessed to the crime and voluntarily handed himself over to the police. 

A life cut short

Thembekile Charlotte Letlape, affectionately known as the Pastry Princess, was a confectioner in Johannesburg renowned for her exceptional baking skills and vibrant spirit. Her burgeoning career and life were tragically cut short in 2024 at the age of 38 when she was brutally murdered by Zitha. 

The incident occurred on 30 May 2024, in Fourways, Johannesburg. During a heated argument while Letlape was preparing food, Zitha attacked her violently. In a horrific act witnessed by Zitha’s then 10-year-old daughter, who was watching a movie in the next room, Zitha stabbed Letlape multiple times with two knives in her face and chest. She died at the scene from her injuries.

Zitha pleaded guilty to the murder at the Johannesburg High Court on 24 July and admitted that, despite being drunk, he could still differentiate between right and wrong.

While submitting evidence in mitigation of his sentence on Thursday, 17 September, Zitha said he first met Letlape six years ago at Investec, reconnecting officially in Parkhurst on 27 March 2023. They began living together around February 2024, and the relationship was initially characterised by excitement and deep connection. Both having been disappointed in love before, they felt they had finally found a kindred spirit.  Despite moments of happiness, the relationship was far from perfect, with both aware of glaring red flags and personal struggles that they needed to work on individually and collectively, he said. 

Zitha said he felt warmly welcomed by Letlape’s family, going for walks with her father and her mother, Mpho, who was supportive and offered guidance.

“My relationship with the family was very good. They took me in, and I use that word intentionally because I had been without parents for the longest time. Her parents showed me kindness, and support. I spent a lot of time taking walks with her dad. I also spent time with her mom and, again, [she was] very receptive, very motherly [and] had a lot of advice to offer on myself and the relationship. They welcomed me and my kids into their home and I didn’t just betray her and her love, also their love as a family,” he said.

Zitha became emotional as he explained how the relationship deteriorated, culminating in the murder. He described that night as an accumulation of stress and unresolved issues, triggered by an argument about sensitive topics related to his late parents, which ultimately caused him to lose control. He said he had substance abuse problems and deeply regretted introducing Letlape to cocaine, acknowledging its negative impact.

“There are no words to describe what I have done and the pain I have caused you. I am deeply sorry for what had happened and the pain I have put you through. I’m very sorry I betrayed you and I ask you to find it in your heart to forgive me and my family. I was wrong, I erred and I must pay for it. Whatever judgment the court brings me, I hope it gives some kind of closure,” he said, crying. 

Is sentencing enough of a deterrent?

Celeste Louw, general manager of operations at the Tears Foundation, said the sentencing raises concerns about whether the current legal framework truly deters perpetrators and adequately protects society.

“In South Africa, 15 years means he can basically apply for parole after a third of his sentence. So my question is, is our system actually working? Why is the judge talking about a deterrent? Because that’s not a deterrent. How is that a deterrent?” she questioned. 

Louw said recidivism rates in South Africa are alarmingly high, with up to 94% of inmates reoffending. This calls into question whether the justice system is functioning as intended. 

When a person commits a heinous crime like femicide but faces a sentence that allows for relatively early parole, it sends a confusing message about societal values and the seriousness with which these offences are treated, she said. 

“Justice is about law right? It’s about what's right and wrong in the eyes of the law. It’s a black and white thing, and it’s about protecting society and those kind of things. But these poor people have lost their daughter; she’s never coming back,” she said. 

Letlape expressed his disappointment in the sentence.“Effectively he has walked. We have T-shirts that say justice for Thembi and she did not get justice. What it means to me is that her life was worthless, there was no consideration of her humanity by the court”. 

He said he had always been careful about not being treated as an exception, noting that many people have lost their loved ones and the perpetrators have been given the minimum sentence. 

“The legal system in the country;  it’s not a form of justice. It is a game and we are pawns in that game. So we have to fight it for the collective. I will not exceptionalise my daughter, but I will rise for all those that have never had justice before,” he said.

“All that this has done is to really spur me on to fight for gender equality. This is about misogyny, this is about a paternalistic society, this is about men who regard women as possessions. I will personally pursue that the sentencing arrangements around femicide are changed”. 

Remembering Thembekile

During his victim impact statement. Letlape said he shared an open and honest relationship with his  daughter. She was their first biological child, and the bond they had was everlasting, he said.

​​“My relationship with her was probably the closest; she was someone I could talk to. Her passing has been devastating for all of us. I never thought a person could carry so much pain.” 

Wearing a shirt with her picture and wearing a pin with Thembekile’s face and the words, “Forever in our hearts”, Letlape described his daughter as loving, kind, and generous.

“She was the glue of our family – the most giving person. She had chosen to go into baking and we benefitted because [for] everyone that had a celebration she would bake the cake. In our lives she was a key person,  for the core family and extended family,” he said. 

He spoke of their loss as immense and irreversible, and explained the family is still battling to forgive themselves, let alone Zitha. 

“We are still battling with forgiving ourselves, so we are not yet at the point of forgiving him. It’s not out of selfishness; we just aren’t there yet. There are reminders everywhere we go. Every day, when I see the carnage in the country, the killing of women; it’s a real challenge, just coping. As a politician and lawmaker, I ask myself how we can protect girl children. It is difficult to talk about forgiveness when there is ongoing violence against women,” he said. 

Letlape said he had hoped that the court would impose a sentence that reflected the gravity of the crime.

“I can’t find the reason why our daughter had to die. A maximum sentence would still not console us because nothing will bring her back, but it’s about the message we are sending to society about the issues I have spoken about. The courts have a responsibility to send a strong message to all men in this country, and any form of leniency will be taken as encouragement for men to continue abusing women,” he said. DM