Nkateko Ndlovu, who claimed to be a prophet, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Mhala Regional Court in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality for raping a 17-year-old girl on February 2.

According to the police, the victim and the mother had gone to his homestead in Hluvukani to seek some kind of help concerning the girl’s life.

“Ndlovu convinced the mother to leave her daughter behind with him and fetch her after a few days. It is said that the following morning, Ndlovu went to a nearby river with the young girl to perform some rituals. It was during this time that Ndlovu raped the girl twice,” said a provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli.

“After the ordeal, the accused and the victim went back to Ndlovu’s residence. During the night, the victim sent a text to her pastor and related her story to him. The next day, the girl somehow managed to escape from Ndlovu’s place and went straight to report the matter to the police. The matter was investigated, which led to the arrest of Ndlovu on February 15.”

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Ndlovu was sentenced on September 28. The court also found he was unfit to possess a firearm, and his name was entered into the national register of sexual offenders.

The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, welcomed the sentence and warned parents to be on guard for the sake of their children.

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“We welcome the sentence and hope that it will send a strong message to perpetrators of gender-based violence who act like predators in the jungle, preying on innocent and defenseless victims. However, this should also serve as a warning if not a lesson for parents to always be on guard when it comes to protecting their children from ruthless individuals,” the commissioner said.