Civil rights organisation Action Society has expressed its disappointment following the sentencing of Xolani du Preez.
Du Preez mercilessly killed make-up artist Suritha Alting in November 2022 while she was on her way home from a restaurant in Richwood, Cape Town.
Alting was also robbed during the attack and her body was found later with 16 stab wounds.
She sustained three stab wounds to the chest, one wound on her abdomen, and the rest of the injures were in other parts of her body.
Eighteen-year-old Du Preez was sentenced to two years and 245 days in a youth care facility. He will then serve eight years in jail once he has completed his time in the youth care facility.
The sentence was handed down by the Parow regional court on Monday.
Even though the magistrate noted that Du Preez would return to court after completing his time in the youth centre, Action Society said the sentence is disappointing.
Action centre coordinator at Action Society’s Kaylynn Palm said the organisation is shocked, not that so is Alting’s father.
“Listening to Suritha’s father in court was really sad. He couldn’t hold back his tears when he described his only daughter. He was devastated,” said Palm.
“After the judgment was announced, we were shocked, and so was her father.”
The magistrate highlighted that Du Preez’s age played a big role in the sentencing.
Palm said: “We are aware that he was 17, but he stabbed her 16 times – three times in the chest, once in the abdomen, and the rest in other parts of the body, so he knew what he was doing.
“It is unbelievable that the [criminal] justice system could be this lenient, where a life was taken so brutally.”
Du Preez, who turned 18 this month, was 17 years old when he committed the murder. As he was young at the time of the attack, he was sentenced under the Child Justice Act.
He pleaded guilty to murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, which are listed under schedule three of the Child Justice Act.
The court is yet to decide whether the eight years imprisonment will need to be imposed or if it will be reduced.
