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GUILTY: Vinolia Siwa in the dock before she was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. Photo: VeliNhlapo

 Depressed mother stabbed, drowned 5 kids 

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The sentences will run concurrently.

Vinolia Siwa, 33, pleaded guilty in September to five counts of murder. She blamed the murders on poverty and the emotional abuse she experienced from her live-in boyfriend.

Passing sentence, Judge Ronald Hendricks said he took into consideration a state social worker's recommendation in herpre-sentencing report.

Social worker Marelize Vergottini earlier told the court that Siwa had experienced hardship raising her children as she was unemployed.

She said Siwa could not go to family planning because her boyfriend was against it and that she had once thought of aborting one of the children.

She told the court how Siwa was left with a small baby and a mentally challenged child needing constant care when her boyfriend and the father of her eldest two children, Robert Webb, died.

Her eldest son, Sizwe, who was 13 when Webb died, had cerebral palsy and a heart defect that needed constant treatment because he suffered severe epileptic attacks.

Vergottini said that in 2005 Siwa met Itumeleng Lesimola, with whom she fell in love and had three children.

Siwa's family did not approve of Lesimola. She moved out of her parental home into a two-roomed RDP house with Lesimola at Mountain View in Pampierstad.

Siwa had been diagnosed with different psychiatric illnesses and had gone to four different psychiatrists.

According to Vergottini's report, Siwa was diagnosed with acute psychosis, adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions, conduct related to psycho-social stressors and post-partem depression.

At the time of the murders Siwa was pregnant with her sixth child, who was born in prison earlier this year.

The child was later placed in foster care.

Vergottini said Siwa was regarded by her community as a responsible person who took care of and loved her children.

"Siwa was a church-goer but isolated herself from her family and neighbours.

"Although she was seen as an introvert, her family felt that Lesimola had something to do with her behaviour," said Vergottini.

According to the family doctor, a Dr Nel, Siwa was very upset when she found out that she was pregnant with her fourth child.

She asked for an abortion but never returned to the hospital to undergo the procedure. Her doctor encouraged her to undergo family planning but Siwa said her boyfriend would not approve.

Judge Hendricks said Siwa's crimes were serious and could not be ignored. He said Siwa needed time, therapy, counselling and appropriate medication because she could easily be a danger to herself and others.

"You are a first offender, you pleaded guilty and that shows remorse but five minor children lost their lives.

"They were defenceless and the eldest was physically retarded.

"The seriousness of these crimes must not be ignored. The children were looking up to you to take care of them and love them but the court must also consider that you were not in your right state of mind according to the social worker," he said.

The judge said the health condition of Siwa's eldest child must have added to her depression .

"His condition plus the other four children must have been emotionally draining on you. I believe, however, that you were not alone in this situation.

"You had a partner. You could have sought help from him or your family but decided to distance yourself from them," he said. - tshehleb@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sun May 19 10:05:22 SAST 2013 ::

Nov 14, 2012

TLekota

Women sometimes go through hell on earth. Anyway am speechless, you will be judged differently mom.
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Nov 14, 2012

NICEBOOBS

stop blaming the boyfriend for killing innocent children - you deserve to rot in jail
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Nov 14, 2012

AusiBob

eish! I honestly feel for this woman. However children were innocent in all this; and it will also serve as a lesson to others who might be in the similar situation. Seek help from friends/ family. Hopefully she will be a different person & in her senses when she comes back from prison. A Modimo a go thuse sesi!
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Nov 14, 2012

Shredder

Why did you fall pregnant so many times?
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Nov 14, 2012

MGEEZ

I am perturbed to say the least about this judgement. It demonstrate the inability of the judge to separate issues when it comes to the application of law and protection of the right to life as enshrined in the constitution. This further sets up a wrong precedence that people could always blame stress or depression or their abusive circumstances to perpetrate these nefarious activities. The judge deserves to be moved from the bench period!!!
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Nov 14, 2012

legaleagle2

The sad reality is that she has gone through more than what she could explain in court, and people will always say why didnt she ask for help? The truth is help is hard to come by, we will always stand on the sidelines and judge, but i know if she had approached some of us for help she wouldnt have gotten the time of day.

its reality, its painful to see your kids starve, have a physically abusive lover, and at that point leaving him is a far worse option because of poverty....

Legally, the sentence is fair, 5 kids lost their lives...but because i am brutally honest, they are probably in a better place. she would have struggled to pay school fees, buy food, school uniform, medicare for the disabled child....

There are too many disparities in South Africa.....too many!
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Nov 14, 2012

Mosquer

Some women!!!
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Nov 14, 2012

Bingo-Ingo

Most women are the same, they can't look further than their eyelashes. Typical of MommaC. The exception amongst others is my mother. What a wonderful woman brought me to this world. Unequaled, one of her own kind. Others...!!!!!
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Nov 14, 2012

SebolaNtimetseAdikateMoketla

Social problems noted

social worker's report a good piece of work
viz the woman went through hell

i wonder how some people live through this daily

BUT THE LAW MUST TAKE ITS COURSE
because murder is defined as "murder" not something else

the judge applied his mind

the balance is only a lenient sentence, and maybe additional ones suspended for few years
there is nothing this poor judge can do about that!!!
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Nov 14, 2012

Mamelodian

You should have killed yourself. Now your life is a living hell. Not only will you do jail time, you will also have to live with the guilt of killing your own children.
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