The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Free State has welcomed the conviction and sentencing of two men for the brutal 2020 murder of a farmer outside Viljoenskroon. The sentencing was handed down in the Kroonstad Regional Court on Friday, 03 October 2025.
The accused, William Sejane (57), also known as Maidudu, and Lucky Motaung (54), also known as Sebothe, were each found guilty of murder and house robbery. The Kroonstad Regional Court sentenced both men to life imprisonment for the murder and an additional seven years for the house robbery. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
The case relates to the night of 3 to 4 October 2020, when 66-year-old farmer Dave Wessels was attacked at his farm home. According to evidence presented in court, the perpetrators gained entry through a back window and overpowered Mr. Wessels. He was found deceased with his hands and legs tied, and his head wrapped in plastic, which was determined to be the cause of death. The assailants fled the scene in the victim’s white Toyota bakkie, having also stolen other household items.
The case was prioritised under the SAPS 24-Hour Activation Plan and assigned to Sergeant Morena Machalotsa from the Provincial Organised Crime Unit. Through intensive investigations, the stolen vehicle was recovered at a workshop in Orkney.
A critical break in the case came when the victim’s bank card was traced to a series of transactions in Orkney, Klerksdorp, and Potchefstroom. Surveillance footage from these locations positively linked Lucky Motaung to the purchases, leading to his arrest. His co-accused, William Sejane, was subsequently also apprehended. It was revealed that Sejane had been out on parole for only 16 months at the time of the murder, having previously served a life sentence for a similar crime.
Following a thorough trial, both men were convicted and sentenced this week.
