Mother found guilty of murdering her five-year-old son with a mop

GUILTY! This was the judgment delivered in the Western Cape High Court, sitting at the Wynberg Regional Court, where Acting Judge Amanda van Leeve found Noxolo Pearl Ngqono guilty of charges related to the death of her five-year-old son.

In handing down judgment, Van Leeve ruled that the State had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, concluding that Ngqono fatally assaulted her child with what was identified during proceedings as a mop.

The judge pointed to multiple sources of evidence she found credible, including statements from the child’s teachers, who first noticed bruising on his body, face and lips. She also relied on police statements, as well as the child’s own account to daycare staff during the earlier 2019 incident, in which he identified his mother and explained how he had been injured.

Van Leeve further accepted the initial statement made by Ngqono’s husband to police. In that statement he said the accused called him on the day of the child's death, informing him that something had happened. When he arrived home, she allegedly told him she had struck the child with a stick after he had defecated on himself an issue that had also reportedly led to the earlier assault.

The court also considered police evidence and the undisputed fact that the child had previously been removed from Ngqono’s care in 2019 following signs of abuse — a point which Van Leeve noted had not been successfully challenged during the trial.

Further weight was given to the husband’s account that, upon his return home on the day of the murder, Ngqono discouraged him from seeking medical attention for the child, saying she was afraid. He told the court he then locked her inside the house with the children, before later convincing her that he needed to take their younger child to his sister. He subsequently persuaded her to accompany him to a police station.

Although the husband later contradicted aspects of his statement including whether he had gone to the police or assisted officers, Van Leeve said she accepted his earlier version as credible. She noted his reluctance in court to answer questions that could implicate his wife, taking into account that the couple share two children and remain married.

Following the guilty verdict, the State applied for Ngqono’s bail to be revoked, arguing that her circumstances had materially changed from having no prior convictions to now standing convicted of two serious offences. The State further submitted that her partner was capable of caring for their children.

The defence opposed the application, arguing that Ngqono had attended court throughout the trial despite knowing a conviction was likely, and that there was little risk she would evade sentencing. Defence counsel described the State’s request as punitive while sentencing was still pending.

However, Van Leeve ruled in favour of the State, finding that the accused’s circumstances had “changed drastically” and noting that she now faces a minimum prescribed sentence, which includes the likelihood of direct imprisonment.

Ngqono’s bail was revoked, and she was taken into custody.

Sentencing proceedings are scheduled to take place on 5 May 2026.