GRAPHIC DETAIL WARNING: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault and child abuse.

LIMPOPO – In what is being described as one of the most horrific incidents of child abuse encountered in Limpopo, the provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed life sentences handed down to two men convicted of the sexual assault and abuse of two young girls in Letsitele in the Mopani District.

The duo, aged 39 and 37, were sentenced in the Limpopo High Court on May 15 for the appalling crimes committed against the 39-year-old’s biological daughters, aged nine and 11.

The Limpopo police spokesperson, Col Malesela Ledwaba said evidence presented to the court revealed a pattern of systematic abuse between 2022 and 2023.

“Following their parents’ separation, the children were left in the care of their father, who subjected them to severe physical abuse and facilitated their sexual exploitation. In an alarming pattern, the father would beat the children brutally with a belt and, on occasions when he did not pay his farmworkers, offered his daughters for sexual abuse as a form of payment,” his statement read.

In separate incidents, the father’s 37-year-old friend repeatedly raped the minors in a secluded area near a dam.

Ledwaba explained that the children’s ordeal came to light between August and November 2023 when an observant teacher noticed concerning changes in their behaviour.

“After the children disclosed the abuse, the teacher promptly alerted the relevant authorities, including social workers and the police, leading to their immediate removal to a place of safety. Although both accused were initially granted bail, the father’s bail was subsequently revoked following accusations of witness intimidation,” he said.

The 39-year-old father received the following sentences:

• Count 1: Rape – Life imprisonment
• Count 4: Assault GBH (grievous bodily harm) – Three years imprisonment
• Count 5: Assault GBH – Five years imprisonment

The 37-year-old accomplice received the following sentences:

• Count 9: Rape – Life imprisonment
• Count 10: Rape – Life imprisonment

Hadebe commended the Tzaneen Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit for their meticulous investigation that led to a successful prosecution.

“This case represents one of the most horrific incidents of child abuse we have encountered in our province. It also demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting children and securing justice for victims of gender-based violence,” said Hadebe.

She further extended gratitude to the teacher who reported the matter, the social workers who provided support to the victims and the prosecution team for their roles in securing these convictions.