169 years for racist murder spree

A white South African teenager who killed four blacks, including a three-month-old baby, in a racially-motivated shooting spree was sentenced today to 169 years in prison, the SABC reported.

A court in North West province imposed the sentence on Johan Nell, 19, after he pled guilty to murder, attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition in connection with the January 14 shootings in a shantytown near Swartruggens, the broadcaster said.

The prison terms handed down for the individual charges will run concurrently.

One of the survivors of the attack, which also wounded 11 people, testified in the trial that Nell had shouted racial epithets as he opened fire on residents.

Nell's defence lawyer argued the shooting was spurred by his client's anger over the frequent murders of white farmers and small landowners since the end of apartheid in 1994 and fears his family could face the same fate.

Whites were insulated from crime during the apartheid era and they were rarely prosecuted for committing crimes against blacks.