Farm attack killers jailed for brutal murder of Ermelo farmer

Mbongeni Walter Nkosi, 36, and Mxolisi Sibusiso Mnisi, 38, appeared in the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court, sitting in Delmas, where they were sentenced after pleading guilty to murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Nkosi received an effective 25-year prison sentence, while Mnisi was sentenced to an effective 23 years behind bars. The convictions bring a measure of finality in a case that began with a late-night emergency call to police and the discovery of Weideman’s body inside his home.

What happened at Roodepoort Farm

The court heard that the attack took place on 22 December 2023 at about 10pm. Members of the South African Police Service in Ermelo responded to a complaint at Roodepoort Farm.

When officers arrived, security personnel were already at the scene. They told police that they had seen a suspect fleeing from the farmhouse.

Police then entered the residence, where they found Weideman lying motionless on the lounge floor. He had suffered multiple gunshot and stab wounds, and emergency medical personnel declared him dead at the scene.

Several empty 9mm cartridge cases were recovered during the initial investigation. The condition of the scene pointed to a violent confrontation inside the farmhouse, although the court proceedings established the charges on which the two accused ultimately pleaded guilty.

Stolen vehicle, firearms and valuables

Police investigations found that a red Toyota Hilux, firearms, ammunition and jewellery had been taken during the attack.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said the stolen vehicle was later recovered abandoned in Breyten. The case was assigned to the SAPS Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit, which continued the investigation after the initial police response.

Four suspects were arrested in Ermelo in January 2024. Firearms and ammunition were recovered during the operation, Ndubane said.

The recovery of property and weapons formed part of the investigative process that led to the prosecution of those accused in the matter. In cases involving murder and robbery, investigators must establish both what happened during the attack and how the accused are connected to the alleged crimes.

Sentences handed down

Nkosi was sentenced to 20 years for murder and 10 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. Because part of the sentences was ordered to run concurrently, his effective sentence is 25 years’ imprisonment.

Mnisi received an effective 23-year prison sentence after being convicted of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The distinction between individual sentences reflects the court’s orders in relation to each accused. Both men will, however, serve substantial periods of imprisonment following the convictions.

The case also illustrates the different stages that may continue after some accused have been sentenced. While the proceedings against Nkosi and Mnisi have concluded with the imposition of their sentences, the matter involving another accused remains before the court.

Other accused still before the court

The case against Bongani Khoza has been postponed to 20 November 2028 for trial in the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court, sitting in Breyten.

The court also granted the fourth accused indemnity in terms of Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act. This means the fourth accused’s position in the case differs from that of the men who pleaded guilty and were sentenced.

The remaining court proceedings will determine how the case against Khoza is dealt with. Until that matter is concluded, the outcome for that accused remains separate from the sentences already imposed on Nkosi and Mnisi.

Police welcome the convictions

Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise welcomed the outcome and praised those who assisted in securing the convictions.

For the police, a successful prosecution does more than close one part of an investigation. It also records the evidence tested through the criminal justice process and provides a formal outcome in a case involving a fatal attack.

The sentencing follows a process that began with the police response at Roodepoort Farm, continued through the recovery of the stolen vehicle and firearms-related evidence, and resulted in the arrests made in January 2024.

For Weideman’s family and those affected by the attack, the prison terms mark the conclusion of the proceedings against two of the accused. The separate cases still before the court mean that the broader legal process connected to the incident is not yet complete.