A 48-year-old man was sentenced to three life terms of imprisonment in the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, April 28. The man was convicted on three counts of raping his 14-year-old daughter. The offences occurred between 2019 and 2022 in Balfour, where the accused lived with his family.

The court heard that, from 2019, the accused would wait until his late wife was asleep before raping his daughter, often in the presence of her younger siblings.

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According to Monica Nyuswa, spokesperson for the NPA in Mpumalanga, on other occasions, he raped her while her mother was drinking alcohol.

The victim disclosed the abuse to her mother, but no action was taken. The abuse continued until 2022, when the victim confided in a school friend. The friend alerted the authorities, leading to the accused’s arrest. The victim was taken for medical examination and support.

The accused denied the allegations in court, claiming he was merely reprimanding the victim for dating older men.

However, state prosecutor Grace Khotsa presented overwhelming evidence, including the victim’s testimony (given with the assistance of intermediary services), which was corroborated by her sibling, who witnessed the abuse.

A J88 medical report detailing severe injuries was also submitted. The court found that the State had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted the accused on all three counts of rape.

Khotsa said that the victim was sexually violated by her biological father, a person in a position of trust in the very home where she should have felt safe and protected. She said rape remains a serious and prevalent crime in South Africa, particularly against children.

A victim impact statement, facilitated by a court preparation officer, Popo Moloi, detailed the psychological trauma suffered by the victim.

“During sentencing, the court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.

The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the three counts. The court further declared him unfit to possess a firearm, unsuitable to work with children, and ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders,” said Nyuswa.

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Nyuswa said the NPA commends the victim for her courage and resilience in testifying. “Her bravery was key to securing this conviction. Sexual violence cases infringe on the constitutional rights to dignity, privacy and security of victims, particularly the most vulnerable members of society.”