A HIGH court judge has issued a stern warning to all mothers who abuse, assault or kill their children, saying they will be dealt with harshly by the courts.

Judge Boisie Mbha issued the warning in the Vereeniging circuit court on Friday when he was sentencing a mother convicted of killing her daughter in the Vereeniging circuit court on Friday.

Mbha sentenced Mapaseka Seoka, 28, to 12 years in jail after she pleaded guilty to killing her 9 -day-old daughter Ditlhoriso.

Half of the sentence was suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of assault, abuse or killing a child.

On March 8 Seoka told the court how she stabbed her daughter multiple times with a pair of scissors.

She said on August 18 2008 she took Ditlhoriso to an open veld in Newclare, where she killed the baby.

Seoka said she could not remember how many times she stabbed her child.

According to a postmortem report read by Mbha, Ditlhoriso sustained numerous wounds to her throat and ribs.

"I ask myself what was going on in your mind when you repeatedly stabbed a beautiful child using brutal force. Even animals don't behave that way with their young.

"My mind gets boggled with every stab that was inflicted by her mother," Mbha said.

Seoka was initially charged with killing her two children, her 14-month-old son Lebohang and Ditlhoriso. Charges against her for the murder of Lebohang were provisionally withdrawn pending further investigation.

"Considering the cruel and vicious way the child was killed, I have considered that direct imprisonment is suitable for you.

"The explanation that you had no means of supporting the baby and that the father of the child had left you for another woman does not justify your conduct," Mbha said.

Seoka's 9-month-old son Onkemetse will be left in the care of her mother and sister while she serves her sentence in jail.