‘At least justice did not fail me’: Limpopo acid attack survivor welcomes 20-year sentence

A Limpopo woman, Mmapeu Neo Hlanga, who was left permanently scarred after an acid attack says she feels relieved after her attacker was sent to 20 years in prison. A Limpopo woman,Mmapeu Neo Hlanga, from Zebediela, who was badly injured in an acid attack, says she is breathing a sigh of relief after her attacker was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Hlanga, 27, was left with permanent scars on her face and body after she was attacked by her former boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, Yvonne Maja, 25.

Maja, who hails from Ga-Rakgwatha, was sentenced by the Mokopane Regional Court to an effective 20 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of attempted murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH). Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi said Maja was sentenced to 18 years for attempted murder and an additional two years for assault GBH, with the sentences ordered to run consecutively. Malabi said the court heard that on February 14, 2024, at Mogoto village, the accused argued over the phone with her ex-boyfriend and Hlanga. “After finishing work, she went to her ex-boyfriend’s homestead, where she found both individuals,” Malabi said.