Stepfather sentenced for child rape and impregnation

Empangeni Regional Court hands down lite term for convicted rapist

May 22, 2026

Muzi Zincume 1 minute read

A man (32) was last week handed a life sentence for repeatedly raping and eventually impregnating his 13-year-old stepdaughter.

Empangeni Regional Court heard how the victim lived with her mother and stepfather on a farm along the R34, with the assault taking place between 2020 and 2022.

The child was brought from the Northern Cape in 2020 to assist in looking after her baby half-sister, under the pretence of relocating and getting new school around Empangeni

It was reported that the child reported the rape to her mother; however, her desperate pleas were ignored.

The baby sister subsequently died, and the victim and her mother went to back to Northern Cape for burial of a baby, and it is where her aunt noticed that she was pregnant, but the victim denied being pregnant as she feared her mother, who was ignoring her.

Later her mother died due to an illness, and the victim was forced to return to the Northern Cape to stay with her aunt, who noticed the teenager was pregnant.

She confided in her aunt that her stepfather had repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted her and was the father of the baby.

A case was opened in the Northern Cape, and the docket was transferred to Empangeni SAPS for investigation by Detective Sergeant Siyabonga Buthelezi of the Empangeni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.

He tracked the suspect to Mkhuze in 2024, and he was positively linked to the rape via DNA.

By this time, the mother had died and could not be charged for her involvement.

The victim impact statement outlined how the abuse had led the girl to attempt suicide. She also bears the responsibility of caring for the baby.

The accused received a life sentence for rape, with a further five years for sexual assault.

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