Trial begins for man accused of 1980s familial sexual assault

The trial of a 53-year-old man accused of raping and molesting his niece and nephew back in the 1980s has finally begun in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that the man sexually assaulted his niece at that time since she was four years old, while her brother was eight years old and witnessed many of the incidents involving his sister.

The case has been in court since 2021, and the accused is charged with 15 counts, including rape (sexual penetration) and indecent/ immoral assault (oral sex and masturbation ) for both siblings and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

On February 12 and 13, the sister, now in her 40s, took the stand to testify and recount to the court the traumatic events since 1986 that happened to her. Her brother’s testimony is still to be heard.

This is one of South Africa’s few historic familial cases involving alleged sexual abuse that have been reported and heard in court. It is also alleged that the accused has been delaying legal processes for many years through financial resources, while the victims continue to confront additional allegations aimed at discrediting their accounts, underscoring the profound familial and systemic challenges they face in their pursuit of justice.

The trial has been postponed and will resume on April 2. Further developments in this case will be reported as more information becomes available.