Johannesburg - Thembi Letswalo, the grandmother of the pair of men who killed two of their female cousins and put their bodies in a tub filled with boiling water - was torn between emotions on Wednesday after they were sentenced to life in jail in the High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court.
The pair, who were found to have not displayed any remorse, admitted committing to the murders more than a year ago. They also admitted that they had drowned a seven-month-old baby in the same scalding water they had placed the bodies of the two women.
One of the murdered cousins was the mother of the baby.
After Judge Papi Masopa sentenced cousins Ben Ramokgatla (18) and Mthunzi Ramokgatla (22) to life imprisonment for three counts of murder, seven years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and 15 for attempted murder, their grandmother was a pillar of support.
"Gogo siyaxolisa (Granny we are sorry)," said the two young men to their grandmother while standing in the dock. Letswalo was overhead telling them to "to stay strong".
"Please take care of yourself, we will come and visit you. It's unfortunate that your cousins are gone and we will see them no more," she said while fighting back the tears.
Once outside the court, Letswalo broke down and sobbed uncontrollably. She had to be supported by other family members.
"My life will never be the same now I have to sell my house that I have worked hard for," muttered Letswalo between sobs.
The jailed pair claimed they had taken drugs when they attacked their cousins, Lerato Letswalo and Lebohang Prisca Movit, and murdered them at their Katlehong home.
The pair placed the bodies in a bathtub and filled it with scalding water.
Ben Ramokgatla admitted he drowned Movit's baby in the same tub.
Another cousin, Nthabiseng Letswalo, 23, was stabbed and hit with an iron rod after she walked in on the wanton attack.