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# David Mmelesi found guilty of culpable homicide in Yvonne Mokgoro death
- URL: https://www.africaandbeyond.org/david-mmelesi-found-guilty-of-culpable-homicide-in-yvonne-mokgoro-death/
- Published: 2026-09-26T15:03:10.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-26T15:03:10.000Z
- Description: The verdict follows a fatal 2023 road crash in the Northern Cape that left former Constitutional Court Justice Yvonne Mokgoro with serious injuries. Details of the court’s reasoning and any sentence were not immediately available.
- Author: Africa & Beyond News Correspondent

David Mmelesi has been found guilty of culpable homicide in connection with the death of former Constitutional Court Justice Yvonne Mokgoro, SABC News reported on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

The verdict relates to a road crash in the Northern Cape in April 2023\. Mokgoro was seriously injured in the collision and died on May 9, 2024, after ongoing health complications linked to those injuries. Earlier court reporting identified Mmelesi as Mokgoro’s partner and the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash. (sabcnews.com)

## What is established

The criminal case initially involved a charge of reckless and negligent driving, according to reporting that cited the National Prosecuting Authority. After Mokgoro’s death, the matter proceeded as a culpable-homicide case. The trial was heard in the Northern Cape, with earlier proceedings reported in the Barkly West and Kimberley courts. (sabcnews.com)

The latest development is the guilty finding. The supplied report does not provide the court’s reasons, indicate whether Mmelesi was remanded or released, or state what sentence—if any—was imposed.

## Why the next step matters

The sentencing outcome and the court’s explanation of how it assessed the crash will be the next significant developments to watch. Those details will help clarify the legal findings behind the conviction and the consequences for Mokgoro’s family and Mmelesi.

Mokgoro was a former member of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, serving from 1994 until 2009\. She was part of the court’s first bench and was South Africa’s first black woman Constitutional Court justice. (justice.gov.za)

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