OVER the months of May and June, Constable Nomfundo Lihle Mlotshwa of the Pinetown SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) secured three rape convictions, all for different cases.

In one of the cases, an eight-year-old child was a victim to a 53-year-old man who was a tenant in an outbuilding at the child’s grandmother’s residence at KwaDabeka. The man was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In another, a teen in a relationship with a man in his early twenties was raped by the latter who has been sentenced to 20 years in the big house.

And in another case, a woman in her early forties who had been out enjoying a night of drinking was traumatically raped by two men she had earlier joined in concert for that fateful night’s festivities in the Hillcrest area. The pair was sentenced to 25 years each behind bars.

Also read: Time management key ingredient to juggling motherhood, cop work and studies

Mlotshwa said in the latter case, the victim, whilst at a local drinking den, had been invited by the men to join them at their table.

She was invited to continue the revelry in a room rented by one of the men, where the rape ordeal unfolded.

One of the challenges Mlotshwa initially encountered when investigating the case, was that the victim had a difficulty with recalling the scene of the crime, but once she did, and after a few months, both accused were arrested and denied bail.

“It was not a simple investigation but we were able to get an eye witness, and that and the other evidence we had, helped us get a conviction,” said Mlotshwa.

Also read: Mothers urged to be alert

The case involving the teenage victim posed its own set of challenges, said Mlotshwa, which included the relocation of the victim to a different province because of a constant barrage of threats, including some of death.

The 16-year-old had been assaulted and raped by her boyfriend who could not accept her decision to end their abusive love affair.

The man’s threats to the victim escalated after his arrest and contributed to him being denied bail, explained Mlotshwa.

“This case was very difficult because the victim was now staying in a different province. She would have to travel and when she would come here, she would have to find a place to stay,” said Mlotshwa.

Witness testimony, as well as that of Mlotshwa and the doctor who confirmed the teen’s injuries, were heard in court.

The 53-year-old man had raped the eight year-old child more than once, with these incidences coming to light in February last year, said Mlotshwa.

The child had only confided to her 12-year-old sister about the rapes, who revealed this once the perpetrator was arrested.

This testimony, as well as that of the grandmother and the victimised child, were heard in court.

Message to women

Mlotshwa’s message to women during the month in which they are honoured and celebrated, is that they should proceed with caution, especially in places like bars, taverns and other such establishments, which she advised they should patronise with known and trusted people and ensure they have a safe way of getting home at the end of the night.

“Women must take care of themselves. My other advice would be that once they feel as if they have had enough to drink and have trouble getting home, or they are in some danger, they should also communicate with the owners of these establishments,” said Mlotshwa.

She urged parents to always keep a watchful eye over their children, and ensure they are not outside of the home after dark.

“Do not leave a girl child alone with any man, regardless of their relationship, because these days we are even seeing cases of fathers raping their biological daughters. Parents should make sure that their children living with disabilities are left in the care of trusted, reliable people and are not left alone. Women should try to report incidences of their victimisation as soon as possible, especially within 72 hours so that DNA can be obtained, because reporting late makes finalising the case all the more difficult,” said Mlotshwa.

Mlotshwa joined the unit in 2014 after joining the SAPS in 2012.

Pinetown SAPS communications officer Jennifer Naidu said: “Constable Nomfundo Mlotshwa is an outstanding and very tough investigator, and those who see her calm exterior should not be fooled — when needed, she is rugged and unrelenting in pursuit of justice. I have seen first-hand how she approaches each case with meticulous care and resilience, resulting in multiple convictions in very challenging cases involving vulnerable women and children. She is also a very hard worker who consistently makes herself available for community awareness programmes, educating and empowering residents.”

Naidu commented that Mlotshwa’s courage, dedication, and commitment to both justice and community engagement exemplify the true spirit of Women’s Month.

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.