The Caledon community continues to mourn the death of 16-year-old Deveney Nel, who was murdered by a classmate at Overberg High School in August 2024.
On Friday, the Cape Town High Court sentenced the now 18-year-old offender to 25 years’ direct imprisonment for murder and a further 12 months for defeating the ends of justice. The sentences will run concurrently.
Deveney’s mother, Lida Nel, described her pain as “unimaginable” in her victim impact statement, saying she would never be able to fully express the grief of losing her daughter.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, the youth entered into a plea and sentencing agreement with the state, confessing to killing Deveney and attempting to conceal her body.
He said that on August 7, 2024, during a school sports event, the teenager, who was on first aid duty as a level 3 emergency responder, asked Deveney — a fellow member of the school’s first aid team — to assist him at the netball courts.
“He claims they became intimate in the school’s storeroom, after which she told him she had cheated on her new boyfriend with him. He said he became upset, throttled her until she was weak, then stabbed her in the neck and chest four times, aiming for her major arteries,” Ntabazalila said.
After confirming she was dead, the youth hid Deveney’s body in the storeroom, took her cellphone, and placed it in a bakkie in the parking lot to mislead those searching for her. He later assisted in the search before eventually confessing to police in the presence of his mother.
Prosecutor advocate Leon Snyman told the court that Deveney’s killing, which took place at school, represented “a high level of disregard for human life” and reflected “toxic masculinity.” He said the murder was committed with such force that one of Deveney’s lungs collapsed and her heart was pierced.
Snyman added that gender-based violence remained a “pandemic” in South Africa and urged the court to impose a fitting sentence.
In her statement, Nel said her daughter was “brutally, deliberately, and cold-bloodedly murdered.” She described Deveney as gentle, loving, and empathetic — a young girl who “stood up for what was right and always put others first.”
Nel said she had already experienced loss in her life but nothing could compare to losing a child. “Parents are not supposed to outlive their children,” she said. “The pain is unimaginable; I will never be able to fully describe or express it.”
She added that Deveney’s younger sister had lost not only a sibling but also a lifelong companion, and that the tragedy had left their entire family devastated. Nel said she now relies on sleeping pills and struggles with concentration, relationships, and daily functioning.
“My daughter suffered severe injuries. She was attacked and stabbed to death. She must have been terrified and alone. The actions of the accused have forever changed my life,” she said.
The court declared the youth unfit to own a firearm.
