Friday, September 19, 2025 - A Pretoria High Court has convicted a 47-year-old man from Soshanguve, South Africa, for the premeditated murder of his estranged wife after he scalded her with boiling water. Sydney Maseti attacked Yvone Yolanda Maseti, 39, in October 2022 after the couple had been separated for more than eight months following his affair with his brother-in-law’s girlfriend.
During the trial, Maseti denied responsibility, claiming his
wife had burned herself. Prosecutors, however, presented evidence from nine
witnesses, including three medical experts and the couple’s eldest child, which
detailed the assault and its fatal outcome.
At the time of the attack, Yvone had moved into rented
accommodation in Soshanguve Block TT with the couple’s three children, while
Maseti remained in the marital home. According to the National Prosecuting
Authority, Maseti went to his wife’s residence on the evening of October 28,
2022, intending to confront her. An argument broke out, and he forced her to
return to his home.
Once inside, Maseti allegedly instructed the children to
stay in their bedroom before pouring boiling water on Yvone in the bathtub. The
eldest child alerted the police after hearing her mother’s screams. When
officers arrived, Maseti had fled, and the child opened the gate for
authorities. Police found Yvone crawling across the lounge floor, telling them
that her husband had burned her.
Yvone was taken to hospital but died on December 31, 2022. A
postmortem examination confirmed her death was caused by severe burns requiring
surgical intervention. Maseti later surrendered to the police, and the children
were placed in temporary care. The court has scheduled the case for a
pre-sentence report on November 6.
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