Judgment Day For Xander

There was relief and heartache when the murderer of two teens was sentenced

- Jana Van Der Merwe

The atmosphere in the high court is heavy with emotion. It’s been just more than two years since the brutal double murder of two schoolgirls rocked the farming community of Stella in North West and now it’s judgment day for Xander Bylsma.

Standing in the dock wearing a buff as a mask, the 21-year-old’s expression is stony-faced as Judge Ronald Hendricks tells him his fate: that he’s being given two life sentences for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Sharnelle Hough (17), and her best friend, Marna Engelbrecht (16).

But Sharnelle’s father doesn’t leave any one in any doubt about how relieved he’s feeling. As the judge delivers the sentence, Ronnie gasps.

Marna’s dad, Stefaans, throws his hands up as if in thanks to the heavens. Next to him on the hard wooden bench is a large picture of his beautiful smiling daughter.

“I want to remind him of what he’s taken from me,” Stefaans told YOU shortly before the court proceedings in Mmabatho.

Bylsma’s mom, Mercia, seems smaller now than two years ago when the ordeal first started. Even after sitting in court and hearing it being proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that her son strangled both girls at the hostel at Hoërskool Stella, she’s continued to believe in his innocence.

As the enormity of what the sentence means hits home, she bursts into tears then jumps up and tries to get to her only son to comfort him.

But, armed with a bottle of sanitiser, a masked policeman quickly steps forward to strictly separate her from Bylsma – as if to remind her there’s still an ongoing pandemic.