A 71-year-old South African great-grandmother, Susana “Sarie” De Villiers, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murders of her three great-grandchildren.

According to South African news outlet Nova News, De Villiers pleaded guilty to the three counts of murder in March 2025.

She was sentenced on Thursday by the Worcester Regional Court in the Western Cape province over the deaths of Caleb Booysen, eight; Gradwell Booysen, five; and Joshua Booysen, 18 months old.

The children died on November 20, 2021, after De Villiers drove a vehicle off Bainskloof Pass. She survived the incident but sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs and a neck injury.

The court sentenced her to 20 years’ imprisonment for each murder but ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning she will serve 20 years in total. It also declared her unfit to possess a firearm.

The children had been visiting De Villiers and other relatives at her home in Wellington and were supposed to be driven home by her on the day of the incident. However, they never arrived at their destination.

Eyewitnesses told authorities that roadworks were underway on Bainskloof Pass, where traffic was being regulated at stop-and-go control points.

They reportedly saw De Villiers drive through the control points without stopping and pass a closed boom gate.

Traffic control officers subsequently stopped other vehicles to prevent a possible head-on collision. When De Villiers’ vehicle failed to arrive at a fourth control point, a patrol vehicle was dispatched to investigate.

The vehicle was later discovered to have veered off the road and plunged down the mountain pass.

Nova News reported that Caleb and Gradwell died at the scene, while Joshua survived briefly before succumbing to his injuries.

Poor weather conditions prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching the scene, forcing rescuers to carry the toddler back up to the road.

During the sentencing, Magistrate Clifton Maseti revoked De Villiers’ release on warning and issued a warrant for her committal to prison.