Gangster Sentenced To 55 Years Behind Bars

The wheels of justice did turn when the accused Ronaldo van der Berg (24) was sentenced to 55 years imprisonment by the Hermanus Regional Court. The accused is a member of the Junior Mafia gang grouping operating in the Gansbaai, Stanford and Buffelsjagsbaai areas.

On the 21st of December 2021, Cameron Padayachee was gunned down in Kapokblom Street, Blompark. At the time of the incident, he was working on a vehicle with another male, while his 2 minor children were sitting in the vehicle. He was shot multiple times. The children and the other males escaped unharmed.

Renaldo van der Berg was arrested on one count of Murder, one count of Attempted Murder, one count of Possession of an unlicensed firearm and one count of Possession of unsilenced ammunition. 

On Friday 23 September 2022, the accused Ronaldo van der Berg was sentenced as follows: Count 1 - Murder, 30 years; Count 2 - Attempted Murder, 10 years; Count 3 - Possession of an unlicensed firearm, 10 years; Count 4 - Possession of unlicensed ammunition, 5 years.

The court ruled that Section 10 (3) of the Prevention of Organized Crime Act, Act 121 of 1998 is applicable in that the accused at the time of the commission of the offences was a member of a criminal gang and such finding shall be regarded as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes. The court ordered that the accused must effectively serve 30 years.

The Gansbaai Station Commander Lt/Col Coetzee has commended the hard work done by the investigation officer Sergeant Apollis from the SAPS Provincial Organised Crime Detectives attached to the Anti-Gang investigations, the Prosecution, as well as the Judiciary who collaboratively made it possible that the accused receive the well-deserved lengthy sentence behind bars. We will come hard at criminals that threatened the safety and wellbeing of our society and the hope is that this sentence will serve as a deterrent that crime doesn’t pay.

Lieutenant Colonel W Coetzee

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