ActionSA Calls for Murder Charges Following Death of Two Women in eMalahleni Petrol Attack
Press Statement by Thoko Mashiane MPL
ActionSA Member of Mpumalanga Legislature
ActionSA strongly condemns the horrific incident in eMalahleni, where Nompumelelo Gumede and Antoinette Hill tragically lost their lives after being doused with petrol and set alight.
The alleged perpetrator, Mpumelelo Hill, who is the father of Nompumelelo’s children, reportedly carried out the attack in July. Antoinette Hill, his sister, was burned while attempting to intervene. Both women succumbed to their injuries in hospital after days of treatment.
While we welcome the court’s decision to deny bail to the accused, ActionSA calls on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to urgently upgrade the charges from attempted murder to murder, in line with the victims’ deaths and the severity of the crime. Justice must reflect the true nature and impact of this horrific act.
This is not just an isolated act of domestic violence, it is a deeply gendered and brutal killing, part of a broader national crisis of violence against women. It demands the full weight of the law.
ActionSA further calls for:
A swift, decisive prosecution that ensures the accused faces the maximum penalty under the law;
Reinforced protections for women facing intimate partner violence, especially at the local level;
Ongoing psychosocial support for the families and communities affected by this tragedy.
The lives of Nompumelelo and Antoinette must not be reduced to case numbers or forgotten in silence. Their deaths are a reminder that women in South Africa remain in constant danger, even in their own homes. We must confront this reality with action, accountability, and urgency.
ActionSA Calls for Murder Charges Following Death of Two Women in eMalahleni Petrol Attack
ActionSA strongly condemns the horrific incident in eMalahleni, where Nompumelelo Gumede and Antoinette Hill tragically lost their lives after being doused with petrol and set alight.
The alleged perpetrator, Mpumelelo Hill, who is the father of Nompumelelo’s children, reportedly carried out the attack in July. Antoinette Hill, his sister, was burned while attempting to intervene. Both women succumbed to their injuries in hospital after days of treatment.
While we welcome the court’s decision to deny bail to the accused, ActionSA calls on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to urgently upgrade the charges from attempted murder to murder, in line with the victims’ deaths and the severity of the crime. Justice must reflect the true nature and impact of this horrific act.
This is not just an isolated act of domestic violence, it is a deeply gendered and brutal killing, part of a broader national crisis of violence against women. It demands the full weight of the law.
ActionSA further calls for:
The lives of Nompumelelo and Antoinette must not be reduced to case numbers or forgotten in silence. Their deaths are a reminder that women in South Africa remain in constant danger, even in their own homes. We must confront this reality with action, accountability, and urgency.