State witnesses say Jandre Dippenaar must be punished for killing their family members in an accident near Henties Bay in 2014.

Jan-Karel Horn, who lost his son, and Antonia Joshko, whose parents and sister died in the accident, testified in aggravation of Dippenaar's sentence in Swakopmund Regional Court this morning.

The case of 41-year-old Dippenaar is historical because it is the first time anyone has been found guilty of murder for causing a car accident in Namibia.

Last month, Dippenaar was convicted on six counts of murder, reckless and/or negligent driving, and driving without a valid driver's licence. 

In his testimony at pre-sentencing, Horn said his son was alive when he burned to death in the accident, and life has become a living hell for his family ever since.

Horn says his wife was a wreck after the gruesome accident, and he was put on medication to psychologically deal with the pain.

He added that his other son was equally affected for two years, and having the case postponed several times in the past 10 years has made it difficult to get closure.

"It's a long time that this thing is now carrying on. We, as Namibian families, pray, and the end is now in sight: the man gets whatever sentence the court gives him. What must happen must happen. But please let this end; we cannot handle it anymore." 

State witness Antonia Joschko was 16 years old when the car accident that claimed the lives of her siblings and parents happened.

As the sole survivor in her family's car, she says the accident has caused immense mental and physical pain.

Joschko said she battled suicidal thoughts, still gets flashbacks, and is afraid to drive a car.

She stressed that family gatherings like birthdays and Christmas became difficult for her grandparents, and that is why they have stopped celebrating them.

Dippenaar, she says, has never apologised to her or her grandparents in the past 10 years.

For the defence, Dippenaar testified and apologised to Horn and Joschko. 

He said he tried to apologise to Horn, who did not want to talk to him but could not apologise to Joschko because his lawyers advised him against it.

"I just hope he is made accountable for what he has done, and he can't walk off without being punished or having some justice done for us. Mr. Dippenaar never came up to me for the last few years. Of course, I was a state witness at the beginning; I testified 7 years ago, and that would have been a long time for him to give me his condolences, so I don't trust the word he is saying now."

The state questioned how genuine Dippenaar's apology was. The case continues tomorrow with two other witnesses appearing for the defence.