“You’re a Witch”: Drunk Son Gets 20 Years for Killing Mother

• A 47-year-old Eastern Cape man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering his 68-year-old mother after accusing her of witchcraft
• The court heard that the accused, who was allegedly drunk, stabbed his mother during a family traditional ceremony in Mhlontlo
• The Mthatha High Court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm following his conviction

EASTERN CAPE — A 47-year-old Eastern Cape man has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars for murdering his own mother after accusing her of witchcraft.

According to IOL, the sentence was handed down by the Mthatha High Court following the shocking incident that took place in Caca Location, Mhlontlo, in July 2025.

Drunk son stabs mother during a family ceremony

According to police spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, the accused arrived at his family home on the morning of 25 July while relatives were preparing for a traditional ceremony.

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The court heard that the man, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, confronted his 68-year-old mother and accused her of practising witchcraft before attacking her with a knife.

“She was fatally stabbed during the altercation,” Mgolodela said.

The accused was arrested shortly after the incident and remained in custody until sentencing.

Man sentenced at the Mthatha High Court

The court convicted him of murder as well as imputing witchcraft under the Witchcraft Suppression Act. Although he received a combined sentence of 28 years, the sentences will run concurrently, leaving him with an effective 20-year prison term.

He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Eastern Cape District Commissioner Major General Rudolph Adolph welcomed the ruling, saying harsh sentences were needed to combat violent crimes against elderly people.

“The sentence will serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders. Hefty sentences are necessary in order to curb despicable and heinous crimes against elderly people,” he said

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See post from IOL:

76-year-old killed over witchcraft allegations

In similar news, a 76-year-old woman who was brutally beaten to death by community members over witchcraft allegations suffered from dementia. A mob beat Busi Maseko after she allegedly wandered the streets alone at 3 am. The family of the 75-year-old said the community also wanted to burn her after accusing her of being a witch when they found her roaming the streets of Etwatwa in Benoni. The family also said that they were shocked by the community's actions.

Community members kill North West gogo

In other related news, members of a community in the North West allegedly killed a gogo on 22 October 2024 after accusing her of being behind the murder of a 13-year-old teenager. The teenager disappeared, and her body was later discovered. Members of the community linked her murder to witchcraft and singled the elderly woman out.

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Group kills sisters accused of witchcraft

Previously, Briefly News reported that the Mthatha High Court sitting in Ntabankulu sentenced a group to two life terms each for the murder of sisters Nothethisa Ntshamba and Ntombekhaya Ndlanya. The seven reportedly bought petrol in December 2018 and plotted to kill those they suspected of being witches. According to reports, the group confronted the sisters and stoned them before dousing them with the fuel and setting them alight.

Source: Briefly News