EASTERN CAPE — A 40-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 years’ direct imprisonment for the brutal murder of his girlfriend in Buffalo City, bringing a close to a case that shocked the Cambridge Location community nearly three years ago.
The KuGompo Regional Court on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, convicted Khanyisa Magqaza of murdering 30-year-old Bulelwa Rigala, his romantic partner, and imposed the custodial sentence. Magqaza was additionally declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Buffalo City District Commissioner Major General CJ Wright welcomed the conviction and sentencing, calling it a necessary step toward justice for Rigala and her family.
Gruesome Discovery in Cambridge Location
The case dates back to Tuesday, 22 August 2023, when police received a call at approximately 09:00 reporting a murder at Cambridge Location, Phase 1. Officers who responded to the scene found Rigala’s lifeless body concealed inside a shack. Her body bore multiple injuries, and her left eye had been damaged and removed.
Detective Constable Anathi Zaza of the SAPS Cambridge Detective Unit was assigned to lead the investigation. His work culminated in Magqaza’s arrest on 25 August 2023.
Bail Opposed, Justice Delayed but Delivered
Magqaza made his first court appearance at the KuGompo Magistrate’s Court on 28 August 2023. Detective Constable Zaza successfully opposed bail, and the accused was remanded in custody for the duration of the proceedings leading up to Tuesday’s sentencing.
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