During the trial, Bulelani Klaas denied raping the woman, but admitted to assaulting her.
An Eastern Cape man has been handed a hefty 31-year prison sentence for raping and assaulting a 19-year-old woman he accused of sleeping with another man.
The Zwelitsha Regional Court found Bulelani Klaas guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and rape and sentenced him to 10 years and 21 years, respectively.
Klaas will serve the sentences concurrently.
Woman attacked after refusing to stay overnight
The 27-year-old’s conviction comes after he took advantage of the woman, he claims he was in a relationship with at his home in Tyutyu Village on 13 October 2024.
According to National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, the woman had gone to the accused’s residence to collect her identity document.
She refused Klaas’ request to stay the night, which enraged him.
Assault escalates after discovery of phone messages
Klaas became even more irate when he discovered she had been chatting with another man after forcibly taking her phone.
“He began assaulting her, Tyali said in a statement on Thursday. “He punched her, banged her against the wall, struck her with an iron-like object, bit her, and shaved off the front part of her hair with a clipper. “
“He then raped her, stating that he wanted to see if she had slept with the male she had been speaking to,” he added.
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Tyali said it is unclear what the nature of the relationship between the two was at that time, but Klaas claimed they were in a relationship. However, the woman refuted that claim.
As a result of the attack, the complainant suffered severe facial swelling, bite marks, and trauma, with one of her eyes swollen shut from the beating.
Police arrested Klaas at his home shortly afterwards.
Court rejects accused’s claim of consensual sex
During court proceedings, the accused admitted to the assault.
However, he denied the rape charge, alleging that the woman had consented.
She rejected this claim in her testimony, maintaining that Klaas had forced himself on her.
The court accepted her version.
“The victim had been seen at Qonce Thuthuzela Care Centre, where she received medical and psychosocial support,” Tyali said.
“Court Preparation Officer Phelisa Matinise helped prepare her for trial, stood by her during testimony, and facilitated the victim impact statement handed in during sentencing.”
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Prosecution argues for harsh sentence
Regional Court Prosecutor Msuthukazi Pango, who led the prosecution, argued that the nature and extent of the violence inflicted on the woman, the betrayal of trust, and the lasting psychological trauma she endured called for a severe and deterrent sentence.
She emphasised that Klaas’s actions were not only physically brutal but also emotionally degrading.
Pango urged the court to send a strong message that gender-based violence will not be tolerated.
“While the prescribed minimum sentence for rape is life imprisonment, the court found that there were substantial and compelling circumstances to depart from it,” Tyali said.
He said the court accepted that the accused was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offence and noted that there was no evidence that the woman sustained permanent physical injury.
“However, Ms Pango maintained that these factors did not diminish the gravity of the offence nor the need for the justice system to protect vulnerable women from such acts of violence.”
NPA hails survivor’s courage
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo said the sentence was a significant step in affirming the rights and dignity of women and young girls in society.
“The brutal nature of the offence demanded a strong response, and the NPA is encouraged by the courage of the survivor and the dedication of the prosecution and court preparation teams,” Madolo said.
