2025.4.11 Suspended sentence for mother who murdered her son, 16, by poisoning
A 40-year-old mother from Dunnottar in Nigel, Gauteng, who murdered her 16-year-old son in 2022 was on Friday sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, on condition that she is not convicted of murder during the period of suspension.
The sentence by the Pretoria high court, sitting in Benoni, followed her conviction for the murder of her 16-year-old son and the attempted murder of her seven-year-old daughter.
On June 6 2022, the woman fed her two minor children food laced with poison.
“This occurred shortly after she had fallen victim to a financial scam and was unable to pay her children’s school fees. She had also recently discovered she had contracted a disease,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said.
After feeding the poisoned food to her children, she drove with them towards the Free State. Upon reaching Frankfort, the children began to fall ill. She stopped at a filling station, requested assistance and disclosed what she had done.
Emergency services were called and the children were transported to Frankfort Hospital where the son died.
“In her plea, the mother said she had also confessed her actions to the doctor at the hospital.”
Police were called and she was arrested. She was later released on R5,000 bail.
During mitigation of sentence she asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed life sentence because she was the primary caregiver of her surviving daughter.
She also told the court she was remorseful and at the time of the incident was not in the right frame of mind due to her recent diagnosis.
The prosecutor, advocate Jeffery Nethononda, urged the court to impose a sentence that reflected the seriousness of the offence and argued against deviating from the prescribed minimum sentence, given the crimes were committed against her children.
The father of the deceased child testified that while he had forgiven the mother, he struggled with the pain of losing his son.
In delivering the sentence, the court found there were substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed life sentence.
The court considered the mother’s genuine remorse, that she was the primary caregiver of her surviving child, the betrayal and the emotional trauma she suffered from the father of her daughter and her mental health challenges, including depression, at the time of the incident.
2025.4.11 Surge in school violence: teachers stabbed in schools
JOHANNESBURG – The Gauteng Education Department has confirmed that a grade eight pupil stabbed a teacher at Hoërskool Die Burger in Randburg.
The student has been apprehended.
Police and parents have been notified of the incident.
Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said that a police case has been opened, and both police and the school governing body (SGB) are investigating.
Mabona said the teacher is recuperating at home on leave, while the child will likely face a seven-day suspension before a disciplinary hearing.
In a separate incident, a 21-year-old grade ten pupil has stabbed a teacher at Kgabareng Secondary School in Viljoenskroon, in the Free State.
The pupil was reportedly “furious” at being confronted about his late arrival.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the Free State has condemned the attack, noting that the teacher involved is the Regional Secretary of Sadtu in the Northern Region.
Mabona commented on the apparent increase in violent incidents at school, saying, “We have a parenting problem; looking at the number of incidents in the country, we have a challenge.”
“These children come from society and if they are not disciplined at home, they will be then ill-disciplined at school.”
The SGB has a code of conduct for discipline, but parental support is crucial to ensure student discipline and school safety, Mabona added.
He described support programmes organised by the government, ‘’We have an employee wellness programme which is supporting all our employees so we will come closely to them and also send support team to learners.”
Mabona states that SGB plays a crucial role in governing the school, supporting school management, and assisting teachers to ensure the school’s effective functioning.
As these violent incidents escalate, there’s an urgent need for effective solutions to safeguard teachers and students in schools.
2025.4.11 Murder for alleged insurance claim in Mpumalanga postponed
The Acornhoek Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga has postponed the murder case against 40-year-old Portia Moeng accused of being involved in the murder of her 83-year-old mother, Mandenane Maonye.
Moeng allegedly conspired with her 26-year-old niece, and a 25-year-old pastor, Thapelo Khoza to kill Maonye for life insurance proceeds.
Maonye’s lifeless body was found in her burnt house in March. Police discovered that she struggled before the house was set alight.
The trio will appear together in the same court on Tuesday for a formal bail application.
Police Spokesperson, Donald Mdhluli, says their investigation is ongoing.
“The case was opened as an inquest. However, one of the suspects was arrested for another case of house robbery or house breaking. Then, along the investigation, that’s when it was picked up that that woman was, in fact, allegedly murdered.”
2025.4.11 Ellis Park Soweto Derby disaster remembered 24 years later
On this day, 24 years ago, 43 football spectators lost their lives during a Soweto Derby featuring Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at Ellis Park. Both were in contention for league honours, and interest in the match was unprecedented.
The stadium was packed, with reports suggesting 60,000 spectators were at the venue, while tens of thousands of spectators were still outside at kick-off. But the red flags were ignored.
Chiefs opened the scoring in the 15th minute. Those outside the venue forced their way into the stadium to celebrate with those inside, with catastrophic consequences. Benedict Vilakazi equalised in the 17th minute — the goal broke the camel’s back.
The security lost total control of the situation, and a stampede ensued. 43 fans lost their lives in what remains the biggest disaster in the history of South African football.
Lessons in security and crowd control were learned on that fateful day, and corrective measures were implemented—measures that apply to this day.
The two clubs still mourn the dead as their own kin and cherish and honour their memory.
2025.4.10 Hefty sentences for five men who raped orphaned child in Pofadder
The high court sitting in Upington on Thursday sentenced five men who raped a nine-year-old child in Pofadder to sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
“The child was orphaned after the deaths of her mother and grandmother and was raped by the five men between 2017 and 2020,” police spokesperson Lt-Col Sergio Kock said.
The child was placed in the care of her aunt, who reported the incidents to the department of social development in Pofadder, and an investigation was launched by the police.
The accused were arrested in September 2020 and had been in custody after bail was successfully opposed by the police.
The court found the accused guilty on December 29 and passed sentence on Thursday.
Waybril Gertse, 41, Graham Gertse, 31, and Andre Magerman, 34, were sentenced to life imprisonment. Virnit Priega, 40, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment and Alfonsus Visagie, 55, to 18 years behind bars.
Northern Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Koliswa Otola commended Det-Sgt John Nortje from Pofadder family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit for his dedication and meticulous investigation that led to the convictions.
2025.4.10 Ditebogo Junior Phalane’s killers sold dad’s bakkie for R30k, court hears
The men who allegedly shot dead five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane before hijacking his father’s bakkie sold the R600,000 vehicle for R30,000 a few days after murdering the little boy.
Investigating officer Sgt Sevhasa Mashudu testified in the Pretoria North magistrate’s court on Wednesday in the bail application of one of the accused, Elia Maeko, as he made his third bail bid after abandoning it in the past.
Mashudu said the bakkie was sold to a buyer in Mpumalanga.
The value of the car at the time was R600,000 and it was sold for R30,000
Sgt Sevhasa Mashudu, investigating officer
“The value of the car at the time was R600,000 and it was sold for R30,000,” he said.
Ditebogo was shot dead as he rushed to hug his father, who was returning home on May 10 last year and the gunmen stole the bakkie his father was driving.
Mashudu told the court Maeko and his co-accused Ali Sithole, 30, and Nido Gumbo, 29, belonged to a gang called Task Team, which is known for robbing people and hijacking cars. According to Mashudu, the gang terrorised communities from Soshanguve to Rustenburg.
He said in the group of five each member knew his capabilities and specialities such as removing tracking devices in vehicles. “These people conspired to commit a crime, they used to be armed and after robbing people they knew where to sell those things and what to remove, such as a tracker.”
In this case the canopy of the bakkie was sold on the R101 for R3,000 on May 11 by accused 3 [Maeko].
Mashudu said after the hijacking the three had called several people to try to sell the bakkie. “Accused 2 [Sithole] is the one who had been in contact with the buyer from Mpumalanga on the 11th. On May 12, Sithole went to Mpumalanga and came with the buyer to Pretoria and the bakkie was sold for R30,000. The buyer [then] sold it [to another person].”
Mashudu said there are two other suspects yet to be arrested.
Maeko was arrested five days after the killing of Ditebogo and the others were arrested later.
When Mashudu was about to testify about how the community assisted with the arrest of the trio, the matter was postponed due to the time.
Earlier in his bail application, Maeko told the court he was the father of a daughter he had yet to meet because of his incarceration.
“I am a father to three minor children, aged between six years and four months. At the time of my arrest my girlfriend was six months’ pregnant and my child was born while I was in custody,” he said through his lawyer Thulani Kekana.
In his affidavit, Maeko said he was a taxi driver and owned a salon generating an income of R7,500 per month.
“I am the breadwinner to my family and my extended family. My brother passed on 20 days after my arrest. He was suffering from diabetes and was under my care. My mother is living alone and she is suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.”
Maeko said he was the one who usually ensured his 66-year-old mother attends her health check-up. As things stand, his mother is without his support, said Maeko. His mother filed an affidavit stating Maeko was assisting her with medication and food.
The matter was postponed to May 6.
Speaking outside court, Ditebogo Phalane snr thanked the community for the support they have given to him and his family and for tipping off the police, leading to the arrests.
He said listening to Mashudu’s testimony was difficult. “It took us back to the trauma we went through, especially when he went into details. It took a huge toll on us, but I send gratitude to every person who contributed to this case.”
He also expressed concern about the safety of the investigating officer as there were two more suspects yet to be brought to book.
2025.4.10 Rape-accused pastor Zondo’s legal team wants trial to start from scratch
Bishop Stephen Zondo’s lawyers also want four years’ worth of evidence to be discarded.
JOHANNESBURG – The lawyers for disgraced Bishop Stephen Zondo want his trial to restart from scratch and for four years’ worth of evidence to be discarded.
The leader of the Rivers of Living Water Church is accused of the rape and sexual assault of his congregants and his staff.
The State has closed its case, and it’s now Zondo’s turn to make his.
But the embattled pastor wants the presiding judge in his matter, Papi Mosopa, to recuse himself, saying he had shown a bias and had already found him guilty.
It’s been years of twists and turns in the trial against Zondo, similar to the matter against Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso.
Like Omotoso, Zondo brought a discharge application that the court dismissed, and just like Omotoso, Zondo has brought an application for the judge to recuse himself.
His lawyer, Piet Pistorius, said that Judge Mosopa disqualified himself when he stated that the evidence before him was credible, reliable and trustworthy.
But State advocate Jennifer Cronje opposed this application, calling it frivolous.
“My lord indicated the court’s view, prima facie view at this stage of the proceedings. Nowhere in this judgment did my lord make a finding that the accused was guilty.”
Mosopa is expected to hand down judgment in the recusal application in two weeks.
2025.4.10 Mpumalanga woman was raped at gunpoint while collecting firewood
Image by: SAPS
The Belfast Regional Court in Mpumalanga has sentenced 26-year-old rapist, Sifiso Mokoena, to life imprisonment.
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said Mokoena was sentenced on Tuesday.
“Mokoena is said to have threatened the victim, aged 40, with a firearm and raped her while she was collecting firewood in the bushes at Waterval Boven on July 26, 2020,” said Ndubane.
Thereafter, a rape case was opened and assigned to the team of investigators from the specialised family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) unit.
Mokoena was then arrested in July 2020.
“Mokoena attended the court on several occasions since 2020 and even applied for bail, which was denied by the court. The case was later transferred to Belfast Regional Court, where he was convicted on April 8 2025,” said Ndubane.
After conviction, the rapist was then sentenced to life imprisonment, and also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“The court ordered for immediate search and seizure of his (firearm) competency certificates, and licence, authorisation, and permits issued to him,” said Ndubane.
Meanwhile, acting provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi has applauded the effort of the detectives who handled the investigation.
“Such individuals must be removed from society, to protect our communities. We are encouraged by the sentence handed down to this suspect,” said Mkhwanakzi.
“We hope that the sentence will serve as a deterrent to others who might consider emulating the action of the accused person.”
Earlier this month, IOL reported that the Ritavi Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo sentenced 33-year-old Phillip Nkuna Ngomane to life imprisonment after he was convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl.
In October 2016, the victim was walking to her place of residence when she met Ngomane at Babanana village, under the Letsitele policing area.
发表回复