Kimberley - A woman who was in a coma for nine years has died at St Theresa's hospice in Kimberley, The Star reported on Wednesday.

Boitumelo Brigitte Mashope, 41, succumbed to a lung infection on Tuesday, the newspaper reported.

She was reportedly hospitalised in 2004 after being beaten by her fiance, Alex "Lemmy" Mokgoro, who accused her of cheating on him.

According to The Star, he was sentenced to in effect seven years' imprisonment for the assault in 2010. His appeal, on the grounds that it was a crime of passion, was rejected in 2011.

During his trial, the Randburg Magistrate's Court heard that Mokgoro locked the bedroom door and assaulted Mashope, ignoring pleas to open the door by their nephew and a child-minder, the newspaper reported

The couple grew up together in Kimberley and had a son.

Sapa