Three Eldorado Park police officers have been convicted of offences linked to the killing of 16-year-old Nathaniel Julies, bringing a significant development in a case that sparked national outrage over police brutality and left his family fighting for justice for more than six years.
The Gauteng High Court, sitting in Palm Ridge, found Constable Caylene Whiteboy and Sergeant Simon Ndyalvane guilty of murder following the fatal shooting of Julies on August 26, 2020.
Detective Voster Netshiongolo was convicted of unlawful possession of ammunition and perjury but acquitted of being an accessory after the fact to murder because the State had not proved that charge beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the shooting happened during the Covid-19 lockdown after Julies, who had Down syndrome, left his home to visit a nearby tuck shop.
He was shot with birdshot ammunition and later transported in a police vehicle to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The teenager’s killing triggered protests in Eldorado Park, with residents demanding accountability from police officers entrusted with protecting the community.
The prosecution’s case included allegations that officers attempted to conceal what happened by manipulating evidence and presenting a false account of the shooting.
Whiteboy, whom the court found had fired the fatal shot, was convicted of murder and defeating the ends of justice. During her bail application, she claimed she believed her firearm was loaded with rubber bullets.
Ndyalvane, who was the senior officer at the scene, was convicted of murder, unlawful possession of ammunition, defeating the ends of justice and perjury. Evidence included his alleged handling of a spent cartridge after the shooting.
Netshiongolo, who arrived after the shooting, was convicted of unlawful possession of ammunition and perjury.
The NPA said evidence showed that Netshiongolo, assisted by Ndyalvane, planted ammunition at the scene and fabricated a version suggesting that Julies had been caught in crossfire involving unknown individuals.
However, the court found that the State had not proved that Whiteboy and Ndyalvane planned the murder.
A family’s six-year wait
The convictions follow years of postponements, procedural setbacks and renewed court proceedings that repeatedly tested the family’s resolve.
Julies’ mother, Bridget Harris, publicly expressed her frustration with the pace of the case. In an interview with News24 on August 26, 2021, she said the delays were making it difficult for the family to find closure.
She also told the publication that she missed taking her son to school and watching him smile and dance.
The case suffered another major setback in 2022 when the death of Judge Ramarumo Monama meant the trial had to start afresh. Harris told the publication in May that the development was emotionally draining and that the family had hoped the proceedings would already have concluded.
In October 2022, Harris again objected to a proposed postponement after a defence lawyer failed to attend proceedings. It was reported that she described the repeated delays as unfair to a family still grieving the loss of their child.
The prolonged proceedings meant the family had to endure years of uncertainty while the accused remained on bail.
The NPA has welcomed the convictions while acknowledging the court’s findings on the charges that were not proved beyond reasonable doubt.
The accused remain on bail and are expected back in court on November 11, 2026, for pre-sentencing proceedings.
The NPA said it hoped the convictions would provide some measure of closure to the Julies family, while reaffirming that police officers are not above the law.
