Gauteng mother handed two life terms after poisoning and filming her children

Mother convicted and given two life sentences after poisoning of her children

Nonkululeko Mbatha, 44, was convicted this week of the premeditated murders of her two minor children and received two life sentences from the Gauteng Division of the High Court sitting at Palm Ridge. The killings occurred in Zuurbekom, Westonaria, when food poisoned on 5 February 2025 was fed to the children; the infant died at the scene and the older child died in hospital on 11 February 2025.

What the court heard

Prosecutors argued the killings were planned. The court was told that Mbatha purchased poison and food from a local takeaway, mixed the poison into the food and gave it to the two children. She also consumed some of the poisoned food herself in an apparent attempt to end her own life but survived.

An investigation led by Sergeant Mokgalagadi of Westonaria SAPS revealed that, before the killings, Mbatha bought several packets of poison and food from a local takeaway.

She mixed the poison with the food and fed it to her children. The court further heard that she took photographs and videos of the children while they were in distress and shared them with family members and friends.

She also left a suicide note addressed to the father of one of the children.

Court findings and legal arguments

Senior State Advocate Rolene Barnard asked the court for harsher penalties, emphasising that Mbatha had abused the trust placed in her as a parent and had taken several preparatory steps before killing the children. The advocate pointed to the recording of the children’s final moments as an aggravating factor and argued that Mbatha’s attempt to take her own life should not reduce her responsibility or the severity of the sentence.

In delivering judgment, Judge Mfenyana said Mbatha had had more than one opportunity to change her mind and drew attention to the vulnerability of the victims, who had trusted their mother to care for them. Following conviction on charges of premeditated murder, the court imposed two life sentences.

Investigation and reaction

The police inquiry was led by Sergeant Mokgalagadi of Westonaria SAPS, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The NPA issued a statement welcoming the sentence after the court’s decision.

Why this case matters

This case carries weight for a number of reasons set out in court: the deliberate planning alleged by prosecutors, the targeting of very young, dependent victims, and the sharing of images and video of their distress. Those elements were treated by the state as aggravating when arguing for a severe sentence and were highlighted by the judge when explaining the outcome.

Understanding the broader legal and investigative context

When courts handle cases involving the death of children at the hands of caregivers, several recurring considerations commonly influence outcome and sentence severity. These include the degree of planning, the vulnerability of the victims, whether the accused abused a position of trust, and whether there are additional aggravating actions for example, the production or distribution of images or recordings of the victims.

Police investigations in such matters typically gather documentary, forensic and digital evidence. Statements from witnesses, physical evidence from the scene, medical reports and any photographic or video material found or shared can all form part of the prosecution’s case. In this matter, prosecutors presented a sequence of actions purchase of poison, preparation of poisoned food, administration to the children and the alleged sharing of distressing images that the court accepted as premeditation and aggravating conduct.

What the sentence signals

A double life sentence is the court’s strongest response to the gravity of the offences as found in this trial. Sentences of this type reflect how the judiciary weighs deliberate harm to vulnerable victims and conduct that worsens the moral culpability of the offender.

After the verdict

The NPA said it welcomed the sentence. Beyond the legal outcome, such cases often prompt questions about support for vulnerable families, detection of risk within households and the role of community and social services in identifying and responding to signs of danger. Those are broader public policy and social-support issues that communities and authorities may discuss following high-profile prosecutions.

What we know for certain

• Per court records: Nonkululeko Mbatha was convicted of premeditated murder of two minor children.
• When and where: Poisoning occurred on 5 February 2025 at a home in Zuurbekom, Westonaria; the younger child died at the scene and the older child died in hospital on 11 February 2025.
• Evidence presented: Prosecutors said Mbatha bought poison and food, mixed them, fed the children and photographed or filmed them while they were in distress; she also left a note and attempted suicide but survived.
• Outcome: The Gauteng Division of the High Court at Palm Ridge convicted Mbatha and imposed two life sentences; the NPA welcomed the sentence.

This account is based solely on facts reported in the court record and statements released by the National Prosecuting Authority and law enforcement in the matter.