De Klerk's killer gets two life sentences

A former security guard was given two life sentences yesterday for the murder of South Africa's former first lady Marike de Klerk.

Luyanda Mboniswa, 22, stood motionless as he received his sentence for murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Judge John Hlophe also sentenced Mboniswa to three years for burglary.

"The court accepts you were a first offender. It also accepts you were young at the time of the crime, 21 years, but you have shown no remorse for the crimes you have committed," Judge Hlophe said.

Mboniswa, who had worked as a guard in Mrs de Klerk's luxury apartment complex, was convicted on Tuesday of breaking into her home on 2 December 2001, and robbing and killing her.

The body of the 64-year-old, who had been strangled and stabbed in the back with a steak knife, was found two days later.

Mboniswa was arrested two days after that.

The de Klerks, who had been married for 39 years, divorced in 1998, four years after FW de Klerk lost power to Nelson Mandela in the nation's first all-race elections.

Mboniswa's lawyers applied to the court for leave to appeal.