The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Cape has welcomed the double life sentence handed down to 23-year-old Thapelo Modise, who was convicted for the brutal 2023 murders of a grandmother and a toddler in Pampierstad.
The Taung Regional Court delivered the sentence on Monday, 15 September 2025, permanently removing Modise from society after a horrific act of violence that shocked the community.
The court heard that on 23 May 2023, Modise entered his neighbour’s house and launched a fatal attack on three-year-old Oratile Loeto, stabbing the child with a braai fork.
When the toddler’s mother, grandmother, and a neighbour attempted to intervene, Modise turned on them, stabbing all three. He then locked them inside a bedroom, set the room alight, and fled the scene.
A family member arrived home shortly after the attack to discover the door secured with wire. After breaking it open, he rescued his 71-year-old mother and 21-year-old sister-in-law. Tragically, 74-year-old Kgomotso Gladys Kalabatane, who was visiting at the time, succumbed to her injuries in the fire.
The two surviving victims were admitted to a hospital with serious stab and burn wounds.
Modise was arrested shortly after the incident, and the state successfully opposed his application for bail.
In its ruling, the Taung Regional Court sentenced Modise as follows:
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Charge 1: Murder – Life Imprisonment
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Charge 2: Murder – Life Imprisonment
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Charge 3: Attempted Murder – 5 Years’ Imprisonment
