SOUTH AFRICAN COURT SENTENCES 71-YEAR-OLD WOMAN TO 20 YEARS FOR KILLING THREE GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN

A South African great-grandmother who promised her three great-grandchildren that “no one would hurt them again” before deliberately driving them off a mountain pass has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for their murders.

Susana “Sarie” De Villiers, 71, was sentenced by the Worcester Regional Court in the Western Cape on Thursday, October 8, 2026, for the premeditated murders of eight-year-old Caleb Booysen, five-year-old Gradwell Booysen, and two-year-old Joshua Booysen.

The court imposed 20 years’ direct imprisonment on each of the three murder counts but ordered that the sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective 20-year prison term .

Magistrate Clifton Maseti also declared De Villiers unfit to possess a firearm and revoked her release on warning, issuing a warrant committing her to prison.

THE DAY THAT ENDED IN TRAGEDY

The events that led to the children’s deaths unfolded on November 20, 2021. The three boys had been removed from their parents’ care due to neglect and substance abuse. They initially resided with De Villiers and her husband for approximately three months before being placed with a maternal relative.

About a week before the incident, the children’s mother and her partner were arrested on charges relating to child neglect.

On that fateful day, De Villiers collected the children for the day while their caregiver attended a wedding. The children spent the day swimming and playing at her home in Wellington.

Between approximately 4:30pm and 5pm, she placed them in her vehicle, ostensibly to return them to their caregiver.

But the children cried and begged to remain with her. She told them to say goodbye to their great-grandfather and assured them that “no one would hurt them again”.

Instead of driving toward the children’s home, De Villiers drove approximately 23 kilometres in the opposite direction, toward Bainskloof Pass.

THE DRIVE TO BAINSKLOOF PASS

Witnesses at the scene later testified that roadworks were underway on Bainskloof Pass, with stop-and-go points implemented to facilitate traffic flow.

They saw De Villiers refuse to stop at the control points. She drove through a closed boom gate and sped past traffic control officers. Officers halted all other traffic to prevent a head-on collision.

When De Villiers’ vehicle failed to arrive at the fourth control point, a patrol vehicle was dispatched to investigate.

The vehicle was found to have left the road and plunged approximately 80 metres down the mountainside, coming to rest in a riverbed below. De Villiers was wearing a seatbelt and survived the crash, though she sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs and a neck injury.

The three children were not restrained. All three died from multiple blunt force injuries. Caleb and Gradwell died at the scene. Joshua survived briefly but succumbed to his injuries. Poor weather prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching the scene, forcing rescuers to bring the toddler up to the road.

THE COURT PROCEEDINGS

De Villiers pleaded guilty to the murders in March 2025. However, State Prosecutor Cornelius Prinsloo declined to accept a portion of her plea explanation in which she claimed diminished responsibility.

The court consequently entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf, while the remainder of her statement was accepted as formal admissions in terms of Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

In her admissions, De Villiers stated that her motive was to spare both herself and the children from further suffering. During her testimony in November 2025, she said it “did not feel like herself” and that “something switched off.”

She told the court she was uncertain about the exact point at which she made the decision and that, at times, she did not believe she was doing anything wrong.

PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT

De Villiers was referred to Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital for a 30-day mental observation. The psychiatric panel found that she was mentally fit, capable of appreciating the wrongfulness of her actions, and able to act in accordance with that appreciation .

The panel found no evidence of psychosis and described her conduct as “goal-directed but impulsive”. De Villiers did not contest the findings .

THE PROSECUTION’S CASE

Prosecutor Prinsloo argued that De Villiers drove in the opposite direction of the children’s home and travelled approximately 23 kilometres to Bainskloof Pass, passing several traffic control points along the way.

He submitted that she intended to kill both herself and the children by driving off a cliff .The court heard that upon reaching the summit, De Villiers contemplated stopping and calling her husband or continuing through to Ceres.

Instead, she proceeded through a gap in the barriers, causing the vehicle to plunge down the mountainside.

Evidence presented to the court established that De Villiers was sober at the time, the vehicle was mechanically sound, and visibility conditions were good. The prosecution submitted documentary evidence, including post-mortem reports of the deceased children, an accident reconstruction report, and a mechanical analysis of the vehicle.

MITIGATION: A LIFE OF PAIN

In mitigation, De Villiers testified about her difficult upbringing, experiences of poverty, and three suicide attempts during adolescence.

She also described the emotional impact of a motor vehicle accident in January 2020 involving herself and her stepdaughter, who later died from burn injuries sustained in the collision.

De Villiers testified that she suffered from depression following the accident and her stepdaughter’s death and received limited treatment.

THE PROSECUTOR’S ARGUMENT FOR A LENGTHY SENTENCE

In aggravation of sentence, Prinsloo argued that a lengthy custodial sentence was warranted.

While acknowledging the personal hardships and depression experienced by De Villiers, he submitted that these factors could not outweigh the deliberate and premeditated killing of three young children entrusted to her care.

He further argued that children are entitled to protection from the very adults entrusted with their wellbeing.

THE SENTENCE

The Worcester Regional Court sentenced De Villiers to 20 years’ direct imprisonment on each count of murder, ordering that the sentences run concurrently.

This means she will serve an effective 20-year prison term. The court also declared her unfit to possess a firearm .

NPA WELCOMES SENTENCE

Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila welcomed the sentence and commended the work of investigating officer Warrant Officer Michael Pretorius and prosecutor Cornelius Prinsloo.

Ntabazalila said the outcome followed scrutiny of De Villiers’ plea and the supporting evidence gathered by the state.

A CASE THAT SHOCKED SOUTH AFRICA

The Bainskloof Pass murders shocked South Africa when details emerged of how a great-grandmother entrusted with the care of three young children had deliberately driven them to their deaths.

The case raised troubling questions about child protection, family trauma, and the mental health of caregivers under extreme stress.

The children had already endured removal from their parents due to neglect and substance abuse. They had found temporary stability with De Villiers before being placed with a maternal relative.

On the day of their deaths, they were in her care again, if only for a few hours. They begged to stay with her. She told them no one would hurt them again. Then she drove them off a mountain.

ValidViewNetwork reports that De Villiers will serve her sentence in a South African prison. The three boys—Caleb, Gradwell, and Joshua, will never grow up.