Port Shepstone Regional Court jails keyboard piano rapist

Funokwakhe Ngwazi (52) lured three children into his room, as they were often attracted to the music emanating from his keyboard piano.

He proceeded to rape the young girls, interchangeably in the same room, on the same bed, while each child watched the acts unfold before them.

This is what state prosecutor Chad Davey told the Port Shepstone Regional Court in his closing heads of argument last Friday, before Ngwazi was handed three sentences of life imprisonment for the rape of the three children.

Magistrate Veliswa Dube further ordered that Ngwazi be entered into the National Register of Sex Offenders and declared him unfit to own a firearm.

At the time of the incident, Ngwazi employed as a cattle herdsman from KwaMdladla (near Port Shepstone), committed the offence against the children – two aged nine, and a six-year-old.

He was arrested in 2022, and spent more than two years in custody.

Ngwazi pleaded not guilty to the charges. The basis of defence disclosed though his legal representative attorney Jayshree Juglal was an election to remain silent.

Davey pointed out that Ngwazi had been convicted of a serious offence, and the court roll of this specialised sexual offences court in particular, is testament to the prevalence of the offence in our jurisdiction.

“July 2025 statistics alone show a total of 146 matters on the roll, 107 of which are backlogged. Trial dates stretch as far as November 2025 with a least two trial matters on the roll per day.”

He argued that there were no strong reasons to reduce the sentence and that the court should impose the minimum penalty of life imprisonment.

Juglal listed several mitigating factors for her client: he had no previous convictions, had lost his home and family, and was still on medication for a broken limb after being assaulted by community members before his arrest.

Davey said society’s dissatisfaction has certainly seen vigilantism coming to the fore. “These acts can be directly attributed to societal perceptions of a failing criminal justice system and the lenient sentences being imposed.”

Davey said Ngwazi showed no remorse or accountability for his actions.

“He has no regard for the primary trauma on the victims as a result of his actions, nor does he have any regard for the secondary trauma of having made them testify in a long drawn out trial to prove the guilt of the accused.”

Davey said Ngwazi gave an indication after the first victim testified that he had a change of heart, however, he changed his mind and proceeded to challenge every aspect of the case against him, and invent fanciful defences to explain away the incriminating evidence.

The investigating officer in this case was Sergeant Mzukhona Gambushe from Port Shepstone Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences.

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