Woman convicted of killing granny and spending Sassa grant

A 31-year-old woman has been convicted of killing her grandmother and spending her Sassa grant.

Nomaswazi Rachel Tshabalala appeared in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday, where judgment was handed down.

Tshabalala pleaded guilty to a charge of murder, 24 counts of fraud, theft of her grandmother’s bank and Sassa cards, and obstructing and defeating the administration of justice including statutory perjury.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Phindi Mjonondwane said Tshabalala lived with her grandmother, Nomsa Hilda Tshabalala, in Mndeni (Soweto).

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“Tshabalala admitted that she was under the influence of drugs when she killed the elderly woman after an altercation with her, where she (her grandmother) was kicking her (the suspect) out of her home on 14 December 2019.”

“In her plea explanation, she stated that she reported Nomsa missing on 19 December 2019, at the Naledi police station. She further stated that she thereafter started withdrawing funds from Nomsa’s Nedbank and SASSA cards, from 17 December 2019 until 3 September 2020,” Mjonondwane said.

Mjonondwane said Tshabalala was arrested on 3 September 2020, for using the deceased elderly woman’s card, whilst she reported her missing.

“She was kept in custody and charged with fraud and theft, until a tenant discovered the remains of the deceased in June 2021, buried underneath a steel cabinet in the backyard.”

Mjonondwane added that senior State Advocate Tshimangadzo Xakaza told the court that the State does accept the plea explanation but will, however, argue during sentencing proceedings that the murder was premeditated.

“Acting Judge Makamu, convicted the accused of premeditated murder and ruled that in her plea explanation, the accused stated that she intentionally killed Nomsa, and further explained that she had an opportunity to reconsider her decision, after Nomsa was unconscious but alive, after hitting her with the calabash on her head, but proceeded nonetheless to strangle her with her bare hands.”

The case has been postponed to 7 October, for sentencing.

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