Mpumalanga father jailed for 22 years for raping and sexually assaulting daughters

A father in Mpumalanga has been sentenced to an effective 22 years’ imprisonment after a court found him guilty of raping one biological daughter and sexually assaulting another. The Boschfontein Regional Court handed down the sentence on Tuesday, 6 October 2026. The man’s identity has been withheld to protect the victims.

What the court heard

During the trial, the court heard that the first incident occurred in 2022 when the victim, who was 12 years old at the time, was molested at her parents’ home. A second incident in 2022 involved the other victim, who was eight years old at the time, and who was raped while sleeping with both parents.

Arrest, conviction and sentence

Both incidents were reported at Malelane Police Station on 18 October 2024, and police arrested the father on 19 October 2024. The Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit investigated the matter.

Police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo set out the court’s sentencing on 5 October 2026:

“On Monday, 05 October 2026, the perpetrator was found guilty and sentenced as follows: On Count 1 – Rape: 15 years’ direct imprisonment On Count 2 – Sexual Assault: 7 years’ direct imprisonment.”

The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently and directed that the accused’s name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

Official reaction

Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise, the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, welcomed the sentence and commended the teams involved in the case. She said:

“This is a betrayal of trust by a father who was supposed to protect his own children. We welcome this lengthy sentence and the fact that a predator has been removed from society.

“We hope that this sentence sends a strong message that crimes against children will never be tolerated. We commend the victims for their bravery, their family and the school for reporting, and Warrant Officer Dladla for his thorough investigation,”

Investigation credited

The police said the investigating officer worked to gather all the evidence, which resulted in conviction and sentencing of the perpetrator.