-Staff Writer | Mon, 08 Dec 2025
A 19-year-old Northern Cape teenage boy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the brutal stabbing of a 13-year-old boy.
The teenager was convicted following a trial after being arrested for murdering the younger boy during a dispute over two bags of mielie meal. The court described the killing as a senseless act of violence against a defenceless child.
According to NPA regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the Petrusville Regional Court, sitting in De Aar, convicted Chris Blaauw (19) and handed down the sentence this week after he pleaded guilty to murdering 13-year-old Deon Bezuidenhoudt on 25 May 2025.
Senokoatsane said evidence presented in court showed that a local shop owner had entrusted Blaauw with two 5kg bags of mielie meal. Blaauw instructed the deceased and his friends to deliver the items to his home. When the delivery did not occur, he went searching for the boys and found them at a nearby dumping site.
“When questioned, the deceased admitted that he had taken the mielie meal home because his family needed food. Blaauw responded by pulling out a knife and stabbing the unarmed teenager in the chest before fleeing home, where he told his mother what had happened. He left the injured child bleeding at the dumping site, where he later died. His friends discovered the body the next morning after noticing he had not returned home,” he said.
During sentencing, Regional Court Prosecutor Kagisho Phagana Marame submitted a Victim Impact Statement compiled by Court Preparation Officer Trott Manghana. In it, the child’s grandmother detailed the deep emotional trauma and devastation the murder had caused the family. The State stressed that the young victim posed no threat and had been abandoned after the attack.
Although the court considered Blaauw’s youth, his guilty plea, and the fact that he was a first-time offender, these factors were weighed against the brutality of the crime. The judge ultimately deviated from the prescribed life sentence and imposed 20 years’ direct imprisonment.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the ruling, saying it reflects the courts’ firm stance on violent crimes against children. “The NPA remains committed to securing justice for victims and protecting society’s most vulnerable. Human life is precious, and accountability is essential,” Senokoatsane said.
News Junction (Gold Standard)