A devastated Port Elizabeth man whose life was shattered when his wife was callously gunned down has described her young killer’s 15-year jail sentence as a joke, saying he and his “angel” were robbed of spending their golden years together.
Pieter van Vuuren, of Steytler near Holland Park, was speaking after the sentencing of former Westview Secondary School pupil Esonasipho Mrasi, 18, in the Port Elizabeth Regional Court on Tuesday for the September 2016 murder of his wife, Magda, 53.
Magda van Vuuren was shot dead outside her mother’s Diaz Road, Adcockvale, home after a scuffle with Mrasi, who – dressed in school uniform and wielding a semi-automatic pistol – was trying to steal her car.
Pieter, who turned 63 on Tuesday, said the 15-year sentence was a joke.
“It is absolutely pathetic. My wife was shot and killed in the middle of the road like a dog.
“The sentence will never bring my angel back.
“My life was destroyed that day, my whole family will suffer, and he only got 15 years,” an emotional Pieter said.
Van Vuuren had taken a few groceries to her elderly mother, Sally Potgieter, when the attack happened.
Potgieter, 84, died on November 23 2017 – the day before what would have been Van Vuuren’s 55th birthday.
“[Potgieter’s] last words were that she wanted to be with her daughter,” Pieter said.
“People say it gets better but it doesn’t. How do you get over something like this?
“I will never get over it. “He [Mrasi] is cold-blooded. I don’t think he has realised what he has done.
“He will probably walk free within three [years].”
He said bitterly that Mrasi was now going to a “retirement village” – St Albans Prison – where he would be given three meals a day, a roof over his head and opportunities to better himself.
“It is not fair – he took my angel away,” Pieter said.
“When I see couples our age, I see how much they enjoy being together. Now here I sit and I have nothing.”
Mrasi pleaded guilty in April to the murder of Van Vuuren, along with charges of theft, robbery with aggravating circumstances, the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and driving a vehicle without a valid driver’s licence.
Handing down sentence, magistrate Eric Mboyi said although Mrasi was convicted and sentenced in terms of the Child Justice Act, the charges were very serious.
“Your conduct clearly shows a degree of leadership beyond your age and is nothing less than a cold-blooded murder, a lack of respect for the property of other people and a callous disregard of human life,” Mboyi said.
He said Mrasi “enjoyed good health without any psychiatric abnormalities” and lived with both his parents in a loving and caring household where self-discipline and religion were valued.
The Child Justice Act does not offer prescribed minimum sentences for young offenders but sets out criteria for presiding officers to consider, which include considering the interests of society, the impact and seriousness of the crime, and the desirability of keeping children out of the prison system.
Mrasi was sentenced to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 15 years for murder and 10 years for the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as a R600 fine – or three months in prison – for driving without a licence and a R3,000 fine – or six months in prison – for theft.
The sentences will run concurrently.
Mrasi’s legal representative, Kuban Chetty, indicated he would apply to the high court to have the sentence reviewed.
“It is a very harsh sentence for a young offender,” he said.
In his plea statement, Mrasi admitted to taking his father’s .22 long rifle calibre semi-automatic pistol from his father’s safe and onto the bus he usually took to school with one of his former co-accused.
After they arrived in the Greenacres area, they met up with two other accused and decided to skip school and walk around the Greenacres shopping complex.
They then walked around the area to pass the time until they had to take a bus home.
Mrasi said they had then noticed Van Vuuren’s gold BMW and decided to wait for the owner, to steal it.
After the gun exchanged hands between the group, Mrasi approached Van Vuuren with the gun in his hand when she climbed into her car.
Mrasi fired a shot in the air, opened the car door and demanded Van Vuuren get out.
The three other accused had apparently run away at this stage.
“I engaged in an argument with [Van Vuuren] whereafter I saw a [car] approaching.
“I panicked and fired a second shot at the woman which struck her body,” Mrasi said.
He pulled Van Vuuren out of the BMW, climbed in and drove off, meeting up with the three others later and driving to Wells Estate.
Later that night, Mrasi fetched a friend and the two of them drove to Bluewater Bay, where they were arrested after an off-duty police officer noticed the car, which had been reported stolen.
Police later found the gun in the school bag of one of the other accused.
The three others – all 17 – have been charged with robbery and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, among other charges. They have pleaded not guilty.