“We are heartbroken, disappointed and feel that the justice system has failed us.”

These are the words of the families of three women who were brutally murdered in Pinevalley, Wolseley between September and October 2020.

The accused, serial killer Siyamcela Sobambela (33), was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the High Court, it’s sitting specially for hearing this case at the Worcester Magistrates’ Court on Friday (18 February).

Ahead of the hearing the families had been hopeful justice would be served.

“I just want the case to end and hope he will be behind bars because he is a danger to society,” Francis Pienaar, the victim Miche Pienaar’s mother, said.

“We as a family are very sad because she was taken away from her children, who are still struggling to come to terms with the fact that they will never see their mother again,” said Gizella Minaar’s grandmother.

The 21-year-old Bernadine Frans’s mother, who was visibly still emotional about the loss of her child, shared she was stressed but hoped justice would be served.

Sobambela appeared on three counts of murder and pleaded guilty to all the charges.

He murdered all three, who had been acquainted with him, and buried them in shallow graves. The court heard he had murdered them by smothering and choking them.

In Sobambela’s sentencing, Judge Lister Nuku mentioned such mitigating factors as this being a first offence for him, to which he had pleaded guilty, and that he had cooperated with police, confessed and pointed out where he had buried the victims.

He reminded the court that violence against women is an extremely serious matter, for they had a right to be protected.

Though the reason for killing the three women was not heard in court, Sobambela apologised to their families through his lawyer.

Nuku handed down 15 years imprisonment on all three charges, of which 10 of the second and third charge will run concurrently with the first one.

“We are disappointed, as we expected the maximum sentence,” said Jacob Zalie, ward councillor for Wolseley.

“These families will never heal from this sentence, and we feel the justice system has failed us, the community of Pinevally as well as of Wolseley.”

Eric Ntabazalila of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) expressed his disappointment in the sentence handed down to Sobambela.

“We expected a harsher sentence but nevertheless, we accept the one handed down to him today,” he said.