A South African great-grandmother, Susana “Sarie” De Villiers, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murders of her three great-grandchildren.
De Villiers was sentenced on Thursday by the Worcester Regional Court in South Africa’s Western Cape province after pleading guilty to the three murders in March 2025.
The victims were Caleb Booysen, eight; Gradwell Booysen, five; and Joshua Booysen, 18 months.
The children died after De Villiers drove a vehicle off Bainskloof Pass on November 20, 2021. She survived the incident but sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs and a neck injury.
The court imposed a 20-year prison term for each murder but ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning she will serve 20 years in total. It also declared her unfit to possess a firearm.
The children had been visiting De Villiers and other relatives at her home in Wellington and were supposed to be driven home by her on the day of the incident. However, they never arrived at their destination.
According to reports, roadworks were taking place on Bainskloof Pass, with traffic controlled at designated stop-and-go points. Eyewitnesses reportedly told authorities that De Villiers drove through the control points without stopping and passed a closed boom gate.
Traffic control officers stopped other vehicles to prevent a possible head-on collision. When De Villiers’ vehicle failed to arrive at a fourth control point, a patrol vehicle was dispatched to investigate.
The vehicle was later discovered off the road, having plunged down the pass.
Caleb and Gradwell died at the scene, while Joshua survived briefly before succumbing to his injuries. Poor weather conditions prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching the location, forcing rescuers to carry the toddler up to the road.
During the sentencing, magistrate Clifton Maseti revoked De Villiers’ release on warning and issued a warrant committing her to prison.
The case has drawn attention to the deaths of the three children and the circumstances surrounding the incident on Bainskloof Pass.
