The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has handed down a double life imprisonment sentence to a 58-year-old Mamelodi resident, who had been on parole.

Pretoria Rekord reports that National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana says the sentence was handed down on Wednesday, as the accused was convicted of two counts of rape of his neighbour’s 13-year-old son and his nine-year-old nephew, on the same day, in April 2022.

Mahanjana says the NPA welcomes the sentence.

The court ordered his name be entered onto the National Register for Sex Offenders.

She says the man was declared unfit to work with children and may not possess a firearm.

On April 12, 2022, the man called his neighbour’s son, who was playing on the street, under the pretence that he needed help to fix his door at his place of residence in Mamelodi East.

“When both the boy and the man arrived inside the house, the man closed the door and proceeded to rape the boy,” says Mahanjana.

“Afterwards, the man instructed the boy to dress and not to tell anyone about what had happened.

“Later, the same day, the man undressed his nephew (who stayed with him in the house) and sexually violated him.”

The nephew told his mother what had happened.

The following day, the mother opened a case against her brother, and he was arrested.

When the neighbour’s child heard about the arrest, he also came forward and reported the matter to the police.

Both victims were taken to Mamelodi Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), where they received medical, psychological and legal assistance from the police and prosecutors.

In court, the man pleaded not guilty, denying the rapes and alleging that his sister had fabricated the charges due to a family house dispute.

However, State Prosecutor Andries Ntjana presented compelling evidence, proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

During sentencing, the accused, through his legal representative, sought leniency, citing his role as a family man with two children and a wife, arguing a lengthy sentence would separate him from them.

However, Ntjana countered that the man was on parole for a 2008 rape conviction when he committed these offences, showing no remorse and blaming his sister.

Moreover, Ntjana submitted victim impact statements, facilitated by court preparation officer Kgomotso Lodi, detailing the victims’ humiliation and lifelong scars, and the mothers’ shattered trust.

Magistrate Lynn Pillay agreed with the state that the man showed no remorse and that he had committed this offence while on parole for the same crime.

Furthermore, she said the man committed these offences against children who were close to him and saw him as an uncle.

She emphasised rape’s degrading nature and the courts’ duty to protect communities, finding no compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum sentence.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Marika Jansen van Vuuren praised Ntjana. “This sentence sends a clear message: The NPA prioritises gender-based violence (GBV) cases targeting vulnerable children and will pursue justice relentlessly.”

Both victims received services from Mamelodi TCC, which provided them with ongoing support throughout the court process, reflecting its victim-centric approach.

The NPA has commended the mother’s vigilance and the TCCs’ ongoing support.

The case encourages young boys to report abuse and urges families and communities to stay alert, report suspected cases and support victims through TCCs.

The NPA calls on South Africans to unite against GBV, ensuring safe environments where children’s rights to dignity and safety are upheld, and perpetrators face the full force of the law.

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