A 38-year-old man from Magatle in Limpopo has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Thabamoopo Regional Court for the rape of his 13-year-old stepdaughter.
The name of the rapist has been withheld to protect the identity of the minor victim from secondary victimisation.
The Crime
According to Mashudu Malabi, NPA Limpopo regional spokesperson, the incident occurred on 10 January 2024 at Gedroogte village in Magatle.
“The victim and her mother were doing laundry while the accused was working in the garden. After completing the laundry, the victim’s mother went to a neighbour’s house to charge her phone, leaving the victim and the accused alone,” Malabi said.
The victim went to take a bath in her mother’s bedroom. The accused followed her inside the room and raped her.
The Aftermath
After the incident, the victim ran to her mother’s aunt to report what had happened. The aunt accompanied her to the police station to open a case.
The accused was traced and arrested on 12 January 2024 and remained in custody until the finalisation of the trial.
The Trial
The accused pleaded not guilty. However, the court heard compelling evidence of his guilt.
In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Bertha Kotsedi submitted that the matter falls within the ambit of gender-based violence, which has been declared a national crisis in South Africa. She argued that the court should impose a sentence that would deter would-be offenders.
The state further submitted that:
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The accused showed no signs of remorse
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He had betrayed his duty as a stepfather to protect the child
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The crime had a significant psychological and emotional impact on the victim and her family
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The accused violated the victim’s right to safety and security within her own home
The Sentence
The court agreed with the state’s submissions and imposed the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
Limpopo regional director of public prosecutions, advocate Ivy Thenga, welcomed the verdict, saying such convictions provide justice and closure to victims and their families while ensuring that violent offenders are removed from society.
She commended Kotsedi and the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Selolo, for “their diligent work” in securing the conviction.
The NPA’s Commitment
The NPA in Limpopo said it remains committed to prosecuting crimes against women and children and ensuring that perpetrators are held “fully accountable.”
A Home That Wasn’t Safe
The case is a stark reminder that for many children, the greatest danger is not on the street, but in their own home. A stepfather, trusted to protect, instead violated. A mother, steps away at a neighbour’s, could not protect. A child, in the room where she should have been safest, was raped.
The life sentence is justice. But for the 13-year-old, the scars will last a lifetime.
