Man sentenced to life in prison for rape of minor girls
The offence came to light when a boy from the neighbourhood entered the accused’s house and found him raping one of the complainants.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence of direct life imprisonment imposed by the Mtubatuba Regional Court on a 58-year-old man following his conviction on two counts of rape.
The offences were committed in the KwaSomkhele area near Mtubatuba in 2025. The complainants were aged nine and 11 at the time of the offences.
The accused and the complainants were known to one another, as they resided in the same community.
During 2025, the accused raped the complainants on more than one occasion.
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The offence came to light when a boy from the neighbourhood entered the accused’s house and found him raping one of the complainants. The boy reported the incident to his family, who in turn informed the complainant’s aunt. When approached, the complainant disclosed the details of the offences.
The matter was reported to the South African Police Service, and the complainants were referred to the Ngwelezane Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), where they received medical care and psychosocial support. The accused was subsequently arrested.
During the trial, Prosecutor Skhumbuzo Thabo Simelane led the evidence of the complainants, their family members, the medical doctor who examined them, and the boy who witnessed the incident.
In aggravation of sentence, the state submitted victim impact statements (VIS) compiled by the mothers of the complainants and facilitated by court preparation officer, Sithembile Cebekhulu.
In their statements, the mothers detailed the devastating impact of the offences on their children and the broader effect on their families.
The court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment on each count of rape. He will serve an effective sentence of life imprisonment.
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In addition, he was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
Regional spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, said, “The NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to combating sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). This commitment continues to be strengthened through the expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centre network across the country, which has grown from 55 centres in 2020/21 to 66 centres currently operational nationwide. These centres provide integrated medical, legal, and psychosocial services to victims of sexual offences and play a critical role in supporting survivors and strengthening prosecutions.”
