Action Society is extremely disappointed at the sentence handed down against 18-year-old murderer Xolani Du Preez, who brutally killed make-up artist Suritha Alting in November 2022. The 28-year-old was attacked while returning home from a restaurant in Richwood, Cape Town, where Du Preez robbed and stabbed her 16 times.
Action Society was at the Parow Regional Court yesterday, where Du Preez was sentenced to two years and 245 days in a child youth care facility and eight years imprisonment after he completed his time there. The magistrate further noted that Du Preez would return to court after completing his time at the youth centre. The court will then decide on whether the eight years imprisonment will need to be imposed or if it will be reduced.
Du Preez was 17 when he murdered Suritha, and he turned 18 in November 2023. The magistrate emphasized that Du Preez’s age played a big role in the sentencing. As he was 17 when he committed the crime, he was sentenced under the Child Justice Act. Du Preez pled guilty to murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, which are listed under Schedule 3 in the Child Justice Act.
“Listening to Suritha’s father, Francois Du Plessis, in court was really sad; he couldn’t hold back his tears when he described his only daughter. He was devastated. After the judgement was announced, we were shocked, and so was her father,” said Action Society’s Kaylynn Palm.
Outside the courtroom, Du Plessis told Action Society he was disappointed and angered by the outcome. “I did not expect to hear this today. It is extremely disappointing. I honestly thought he would get a harsher punishment because it’s such a serious case. I am at a loss for words; I’m just really upset that the law allows this,” he said.
Palm added it is unbelievable that the justice system could be this lenient, where a life was taken so brutally. “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,” said Palm.
Action Society has been overseeing the case this year and will continue to monitor and support victims of crime.
