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Luyanda Mboniswa is a South African man known for the 2001 murder of Marike de Klerk, the former First Lady and ex-wife of former President F.W. de Klerk.
Key Details
- Crime: In December 2001, Luyanda Mboniswa, who was working as a security guard at the Dolphin Beach complex in Table View, Cape Town, broke into Marike de Klerk’s beachfront apartment. He strangled and stabbed the 64-year-old and stole some of her belongings.
- Conviction: He was arrested and, in May 2003, sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, housebreaking, and robbery with aggravating circumstances. He was acquitted on a rape charge.
- Parole and Release: After serving the minimum required time, Mboniswa was granted parole in August 2023, at the age of 42, and released into the system of community corrections in Gqeberha.
- Current Status: He is currently on parole for the rest of his natural life, subject to conditions such as being restricted to a specific magisterial district and having no contact with the de Klerk family.
- Recent Developments: He recently participated in an exclusive interview for an eNCA documentary, titled ‘The Confession: The Marike de Klerk murder’, where he claims to reveal a “shocking truth” that he hid during his trial. The documentary is set to air on November 5, 2025.
- Luyanda Mboniswa murdered Marike de Klerk during a botched robbery at her luxury beachfront apartment in Cape Town in December 2001. Mboniswa was working as a security guard at the complex at the time of the incident.
Circumstances of the Murder
- Entry and Motive: Mboniswa broke into Mrs. de Klerk’s apartment with the intention of theft. He had planned the theft and was seeking to steal valuable items, including her cell phone and watches, which were later found in his possession.
- The Struggle: The robbery went wrong when Mrs. de Klerk discovered him or was spotted by him. A struggle ensued.
- Cause of Death: Mboniswa brutally attacked her. An autopsy revealed that the primary cause of death was manual strangulation, inflicted with such force that it broke several bones in her throat and caused a blood vessel in her eye to burst.
- Other Injuries: A steak knife with a broken handle was found embedded in her back, and she also sustained several wounds to the head; however, these were not the cause of death.
- The Aftermath: Mrs. de Klerk’s body was found two days later by her hairdresser and a security guard after she failed to answer calls. Mboniswa was arrested shortly after, and DNA evidence and the stolen items linked him to the crime.
- Trial Allegations: During his trial, Mboniswa claimed the murder was orchestrated by Mrs. de Klerk’s dance instructor, a claim the court dismissed as false due to lack of evidence. He was eventually convicted of murder, housebreaking, and robbery with aggravating circumstances, but acquitted of rape.
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