The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in the Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi has welcomed the four life sentences that were handed down to a man (42) after being found guilty for rape of his stepdaughter on multiple counts. The Secunda Regional Court sentenced the accused on 23 June 2025.
The court heard that the first incident dates back to somewhere in October 2020, when the victim was 12 years old at the time. The victim narrated that on that fateful day, she was at home with her stepfather when he called her to his bedroom. He then started touching her body whilst complimenting her beauty. The girl is said to have been frightened by his actions. When the accused realised this, he allowed her to go outside the house.
She is said to have reported the matter to her mother the next day. Her mother then confronted her husband about this matter and ordered him to stop what he was doing to the child. Regardless of the confrontation, the accused never stopped but continued to abuse the victim on several occasions.
The second incident occurred on 15 October 2020, during the time when her mother was at work, meanwhile the victim was left with the accused at home. Her other siblings were playing outside the house at the time. The young girl was preparing food for her stepfather when he instructed her to bring it to the bedroom. As she was about to leave the room, he grabbed her then raped her. Thereafter, he threatened her not to tell a soul about the ordeal unless he would surely kill her.
The court further heard gruesome and graphic details on how the accused raped the girl also from her back (private part) on both incidences.
As if that was not enough, on 15 February 2021, the girl was raped again by the accused during the time when she was left with him at home. He started by sending her to the shop and when she returned, he threatened her with the knife, took her to the bedroom and raped her. After the incident, just like he did in the previous incidents, he threatened to kill her if she dared utter a word to anyone about the ordeal.
On 03 March 2021, the victim finally broke the silence about the trauma she experienced, and she confided to her teacher, who brought it to the family’s attention. The matter was then reported to the Police, where a case was opened and then assigned to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Secunda. The accused was then arrested and attended court where he was found guilty on four counts of rape on 26 May 2025.
The sentencing was as follows:
On Count 1- rape, the accused was sentenced to Life imprisonment.
On Count 2 – rape, the accused was sentenced to Life imprisonment.
On Count 3 – rape, the accused was sentenced to Life imprisonment.
Count 4 – rape, the accused was sentenced to Life imprisonment.
The court ordered that all counts will run concurrently. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, and his particulars were to be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register. The accused was further declared unfit to work with children as per the Children’s Act.
Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi further appreciates the bravery shown by the young lady for reporting the matter, which was then brought to the attention of the Police. “We are delighted that the perpetrators of Gender-Based-Violence are getting punished and that justice is prevailing. We trust that this sentence will bring hope to other victims of this nature, ” said the General.