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A 17-year-old has been sentenced to 25 years behind bars for the brutal murder and rape of an elderly female farm owner in the Little Karoo.

The accused was earlier convicted on charges of rape, murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances following a plea and sentencing agreement in relation to the brutal attack on 79-year-old Valerie Enzer of Doring Kloof Farm, in Van Wyk’s dorp, which occurred on 14 July 2025.

The Western Cape Division of the High Court in Cape Town yesterday, 2 June, sentenced the accused to 20 years’ direct imprisonment for rape, 25 years’ direct imprisonment for murder, and 15 years’ direct imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The court further declared him unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000.

In his plea explanation, the accused admitted that he targeted the deceased, knowing she lived alone on her farm.

He entered the property unlawfully, assaulted her, and thereafter raped her while she was incapacitated.

The accused then murdered her using a metal chain and proceeded to steal various items from the farmhouse, including a laptop, cellphone, purse, and handbag.

He also used Enzer’s bank card to make a small purchase before distributing some of the stolen property to others.

In arguing for the sentence, Advocate Rene Uys emphasised the vulnerability of Enzer as an elderly woman living alone in a rural farming area.

The court was also informed that the accused demonstrated calculated conduct and direct intent, reflecting a blatant disregard for human life and the rule of law.

The court further considered the accused’s prior interactions with the criminal justice system, including allegations of theft, animal cruelty, and other violent conduct.

It was placed on record that he had previously been assessed for criminal capacity and had been the subject of community concern due to repeated alleged offending and intimidation of vulnerable residents.

The court found that, despite the accused’s age, the seriousness and brutality of the offences warranted a lengthy custodial sentence.

The Western Cape Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Adrian Mopp, has welcomed the sentence, saying it reflects the NPA’s firm stance against violent crime, particularly offences targeting women and vulnerable members of society.

“This sentence affirms the justice system’s resolve to hold perpetrators of heinous crimes accountable. We hope it brings some measure of closure to the family of the deceased and the affected community.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is stepping up efforts to tackle illegal immigration, but he has issued a stern warning against xenophobia and vigilantism.

He was speaking during the Presidency Budget Vote debate in Parliament on Tuesday.

It comes amid a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment sweeping the country, with the group March and March, threatening to shut down the country on 30 June, demanding that all illegal immigrants leave South Africa by then.

Violence has already erupted in several areas and cities, with the deaths of two Mozambicans in Mossel Bay.

Ramaphosa acknowledged that migration into the country had become a challenge, but added that if it is managed and regulated, it can help drive growth and opportunity for South Africans.

However, he says that illegal migration puts pressure on public services and undermines efforts to create decent work.

“As announced in SONA, government is taking decisive action to address this challenge. We are cracking down on violations of immigration laws. We are increasing our inspections of workplaces and prosecuting employers who violate our labour laws. We are strengthening border security, stamping out corruption in the immigration system and closing the loopholes in fragmented immigration laws.”

The President has stressed that every person in South Africa – whether they are citizens or foreign nationals – must respect the country’s laws, and the rights of every person in our country must be upheld.

“We must never give in to violence, xenophobia or vigilantism. As a society, we must stand against all forms of disinformation, incitement, racism and ethnic mobilisation.”

Ramaphosa says laws will be strengthened and enforcement increased, while the Constitution is upheld to ensure the human dignity of all.

“This will enable us to deal with illegal immigration without turning against one another.”

Police have dismissed claims that an 18-year-old Limpopo teenager killed in Mossel Bay was targeted because he was mistaken for a foreign national during recent anti-immigration unrest in the area.

Western Cape Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile visited KwaNonqaba on Tuesday following violent incidents that left two Mozambican nationals dead and several shacks destroyed in the Asla Park informal settlement over the weekend.

Speaking after receiving a briefing from local police, Patekile said social media reports linking the death of the teenager to xenophobic violence were false.

According to police, the teenager was found with stab wounds at the New Rest informal settlement in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Investigators were informed by a 15-year-old companion that the pair had allegedly broken into a shack intending to steal when the occupant returned home and discovered them.

The younger boy reportedly hid inside the shack while the 18-year-old fled. The shack owner allegedly chased after him, caught him and stabbed him. The teenager was declared dead at the scene.

Patekile said the killing was linked to the alleged housebreaking incident and not to the victim’s language or nationality.

“In other words, we refute claims that the deceased person was killed because he spoke Tsonga in a Xhosa-dominated area,” he said.

Police have since arrested a 23-year-old suspect in connection with the murder. He is expected to appear in court on a charge of murder.

The commissioner also sought to clarify reports that four people had been killed during the unrest, saying police records reflect two murders.

The victims were Mozambican nationals, aged 27 and 43, whose deaths are being investigated separately by detectives.

Patekile warned that misinformation circulating on social media was fuelling fear and uncertainty in communities already affected by violence.

“The spread of false information creates unnecessary panic and anxiety,” he said, urging residents and community leaders to verify information before sharing it.

Police remain on high alert in KwaNonqaba and neighbouring Tembalethu, with members of the George Public Order Police unit deployed to assist in stabilising the area. SAPS is also working alongside municipal disaster management teams and other agencies through the Joint Operational Centre.

Five arrests have so far been made in connection with Friday’s violence. Two suspects charged with public violence appeared in court on Monday and were granted bail of R1,000 each, while three others arrested for possession of suspected stolen property were expected to appear in court.

Authorities say they will continue monitoring the situation to ensure calm and order are restored in the affected communities.

A 51-year-old businessman who was kidnapped during a house robbery in Summer Greens, Cape Town, has been rescued in Saldanha by the Western Cape anti-kidnapping task team, while nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime.

Western Cape police confirmed that the hostage was rescued during a coordinated operation conducted in Khayelitsha and Saldanha on Friday and Monday. The arrests follow the kidnapping and robbery of the businessman last Monday, 25 May 2026.

According to police, seven armed suspects allegedly stormed the victim’s home, where they robbed him and other occupants of cellphones and a substantial amount of cash before abducting the businessman.

As investigations into the kidnapping-for-ransom case continued, a multidisciplinary team carried out tracing operations at several premises in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, on Friday evening. The operation resulted in the arrest of five suspects.

Further investigations led officers to Saldanha, where an additional suspect was arrested at a residence on Basil February Street. Police later raided another property in Noordse Street, where they successfully rescued the hostage and arrested three more suspects.

The businessman was found tied up and appeared to have sustained injuries believed to be the result of torture. He was taken to a medical facility for treatment.

The nine suspects, comprising seven men and two women aged between 20 and 50, are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

They are facing charges related to possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, as well as robbery, kidnapping and extortion.

“Western Cape SAPS management has commended the anti-kidnapping task team for the meticulous investigations that led to rescue of the hostage and arrests effected.” said Brigadier Novela Potelwa

READ MORE: Two Mozambicans and South African teenager killed in Mossel Bay violence