A mother who took a bullet for her sons will finally be able to rest in peace, now that her murderer has been sentenced.

In October 2014, four unknown men entered her yard. They were running after her 17- and 22-year- old sons. She asked them why they were in her yard, whereupon one of them threatened to kill one of her sons.

Later on the same day, the men returned and when the concerned mother asked them what her sons had done and why they had brought a gun into her yard, on of them fired five shots in her direction.

She sustained a gunshot wound to the left upper body and was subsequently certified dead on the scene. A neighbour who was also in the victim’s yard was shot in the foot and taken to a local hospital.

A case of murder and attempted murder was opened and the search began for the suspects.

Detective Sergeant Frans Mosome, who was handling the case, followed information that led him to the Nancefield Hostel where the accused gunman was hiding. He cornered the accused and arrested him. The arrested man, Mxolelwa Mvelase, then led the detective to the Madala Hostel where the murder weapon was hidden. The accused was detained at the Kagiso Police Station while the wheels of justice began turning.

Two years later, on Friday, 4 November, Judge Du Plessis found Mxolelwa Mvelase guilty of murder, attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in the South Gauteng High Court.

Justice was finally served when the 29-year-old murderer was sentenced to 22 years behind bars.

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