In a high-profile case, Pardon Danhire, a 37-year-old gardener from Zimbabwe, has been sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to murd3ring Nadine Terblanche and her nine-year-old son, Ruandre Voster.
The Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg imposed a 25-year sentence for each murd3r, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced the ruling on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, explaining that Danhire’s sentence deviated from the minimum life imprisonment due to his cooperation with authorities and expression of remorse.
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The court also suspended five years of his term on the condition that he provide truthful testimony against his co-accused, Frederick Stapelberg, whose trial is scheduled for March 25, 2025.
Danhire was initially hired by Stapelberg, who allegedly promised him R100,000 to carry out the murd3rs.
The lifeless bodies of Terblanche and her son were discovered on November 27, 2023, by a local security company responding to a panic button activation, which was allegedly triggered by Stapelberg following a confrontation with Danhire over the payment.
After his arrest, Danhire confessed to his involvement and implicated Stapelberg as the mastermind behind the k!llings, claiming that Stapelberg sought to gain access to Terblanche’s assets and finances through their deaths.
The NPA condemned the brutal murders, particularly emphasizing the tragic loss of women and children.
They now turn their focus to the upcoming trial against Stapelberg, working to ensure that justice is served in this tragic case.
