Tshegofatso Pule’s family: No room for reconciliation with the Shobas

The family of Tshegofatso Pule said hearing Ntuthuko Shoba be sentenced on Friday was like laying her to rest once again.

Shoba was sentenced to life behind bars on Friday for killing Pule who was eight months pregnant in 2020.

The 33-year-old former employee of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange masterminded Pule’s murder and hired a hitman – Muzikayise Malephane who shot and hanged her body in Durban Deep, in Roodepoort.

Malephane turned state witness – and is serving a 20-year sentence.

Shoba’s family maintained its distance from Pule’s family throughout the trial.

Pule’s family noted that Shoba’s family never reached out to apologize for the horrific crime.

Pule’s uncle Tumisang Katake said Shoba’s family is lucky that he’s alive to serve his sentence.

“It doesn’t matter where they take him to prison, they’ll still have a chance to see him, they’ll still have a chance to talk to him and reflect on what has happened with him. We are left with lots of questions that we still want answers from and it’s only Ntuthuko that can answer.’’

When the sentence was handed down and others shouted in jubilation – Katake hung his head in silence.

“I’ll be honest with you this case took a toll on me, so I was fighting this thing with every bit of being that is in me. I guess I’m not saying my family members wouldn’t have been disappointed had this case gone the opposite direction, but I know the emotions I would have went through had this thing gone the opposite direction.’’

Katake said there is no chance of reconciliation.