South African Great-Grandmother Bags 20-Year Sentence for Triple Great-Grandchildren Murder

Susana “Sarie” De Villiers, a 71-year-old great-grandmother from South Africa, has received a 20-year prison sentence following her conviction for the murder of her three great-grandchildren.

Reports from Nova News, a South African news source, indicate that De Villiers admitted guilt to the three murder charges in March 2025. The Worcester Regional Court, situated in South Africa’s Western Cape province, handed down her sentence on Thursday. The victims were identified as eight-year-old Caleb Booysen, five-year-old Gradwell Booysen, and Joshua Booysen, who was just 18 months old.

The tragic incident occurred on November 20, 2021, when De Villiers drove a vehicle off Bainskloof Pass, leading to the children's deaths. She survived the plunge but sustained severe injuries, including broken ribs and a neck injury. The court imposed a 20-year prison term for each murder charge; however, these sentences are to run concurrently, meaning her total time in custody will be 20 years. Additionally, the court ruled that she is unfit to possess a firearm.

The children had been visiting De Villiers and other family members at her residence in Wellington and were scheduled to be driven home by her that day. However, they never reached their intended destination.

Eyewitnesses informed authorities that roadworks were underway on Bainskloof Pass, with traffic managed by stop-and-go points. They reportedly observed De Villiers driving past these control points without stopping and proceeding through a closed boom gate. Traffic control officers had to stop other vehicles to avert a potential head-on collision. When De Villiers’ vehicle failed to appear at a fourth control point, a patrol vehicle was dispatched to investigate. The vehicle was subsequently discovered to have veered off the road and fallen down the pass.

Nova News reported that Caleb and Gradwell died instantly at the scene, while Joshua initially survived before succumbing to his injuries. Adverse weather conditions prevented a rescue helicopter from accessing the site, necessitating rescuers to manually transport the toddler up to the road. During the sentencing proceedings, Magistrate Clifton Maseti revoked De Villiers’ earlier release on warning and issued a warrant for her immediate imprisonment.