Two men convicted over the killing of Ermelo farmer Jannie Weideman have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms by the Mpumalanga High Court, which was sitting in Delmas.
Mbongeni Walter Nkosi, 36, will serve an effective 25 years in prison, while Mxolisi Sibusiso Mnisi, 38, will serve an effective 23 years. The sentences relate to the murder of Weideman, who was 63, and a robbery with aggravating circumstances at Roodepoort Farm on 22 December 2023.
Sentences follow December 2023 farm attack
The court delivered the sentences on 22 October 2026, nearly three years after the fatal attack. The case formed part of a police investigation into an incident in which the victim was found dead after suffering several gunshot wounds.
According to Mpumalanga police, security officers reported seeing a suspect fleeing the property. Investigators subsequently established that firearms, ammunition and jewellery had been taken from the farm. Weideman’s vehicle was later found in Breyten, providing another link in the investigation into the events surrounding the killing.
The sentencing was welcomed by the provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise. The outcome marks the conclusion of the criminal proceedings against Nkosi and Mnisi, although the wider matter involving other people connected to the case has not yet been finalised.
How the prison terms were calculated
The court imposed separate sentences for murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. In Nkosi’s case, the murder conviction attracted 20 years, while the robbery conviction resulted in a further 10 years. Five years of the robbery sentence will run at the same time as the murder sentence, leaving an effective term of 25 years.
Mnisi received 20 years for murder, but two years of that term were suspended for five years. The suspension is conditional on him not being convicted of a violent offence during that period. His effective sentence for murder is therefore 18 years.
For the robbery conviction, Mnisi was sentenced to eight years. Three years will run concurrently with the murder sentence, resulting in an effective total of 23 years behind bars.
| Accused | Convictions | Effective sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Mbongeni Walter Nkosi | Murder; robbery with aggravating circumstances | 25 years |
| Mxolisi Sibusiso Mnisi | Murder; robbery with aggravating circumstances | 23 years |
Proceedings against another accused continue
The prosecution involving Bongani Khoza has not reached trial. His case has been postponed to 20 November 2028, when the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court is scheduled to sit in Breyten.
The source material also records that a fourth person was granted indemnity under Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The available details do not set out the person’s identity or the full circumstances surrounding that decision. An indemnity in terms of the Act is linked to evidence provided in criminal proceedings and is distinct from the convictions imposed on Nkosi and Mnisi.
Police investigation and farm safety concerns
The case has drawn attention to the risks faced by people living and working on farms and rural properties, where homes, agricultural operations and large areas of land can make emergency response and security more difficult. In this matter, the police investigation included the recovery of a vehicle as well as inquiries into stolen firearms, ammunition and jewellery.
The convictions also distinguish between the charges proved against the two men and the allegations that remain before the court in Khoza’s matter. As the outstanding case has not yet gone to trial, no finding of guilt can be made against him.
- Weideman was killed at Roodepoort Farm on 22 December 2023.
- Nkosi received an effective sentence of 25 years.
- Mnisi received an effective sentence of 23 years.
- Khoza’s matter is due back in the High Court on 20 November 2028.
For the Weideman family, the sentences bring a measure of finality to the proceedings against the two convicted men, while the pending case means that the full judicial process connected to the farm attack is still continuing.
