LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR A RAPIST UNCLE 

12 DECEMBER 2025 

LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR A RAPIST UNCLE 

The Durban Regional Court has sentenced a 43-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of his niece on diverse occasions in Mayville in 2017. The complainant was 16 years old at the time. The accused is the complainant’s uncle, and they resided in the same homestead together with the complainant’s grandmother and sister. At some point, the grandmother and the sister moved to another area, leaving the complainant under the care of the accused. 

This was when he started raping her, and he raped her on diverse occasions thereafter. Even though the complainant’s grandmother returned to live with them, the complainant was scared to divulge what had happened to her. Although she did record the incidents in her diary. At some point, the diary was discovered by the complainant’s aunt, and she confronted the complainant about what had happened. While she confirmed the rapes, the complainant was too scared to report to the police because of the volatile family conditions. 

She eventually gained the confidence to report the matter, and the accused was arrested. The complainant was taken to a crisis centre for further assistance. In court, Prosecutor Tanuja Bechan led the testimonies of the complainant, her aunt, another relative, as well as the medical doctor who had examined the complainant. The state also handed in the J88. 

In aggravation of the sentence, the state handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the complainant and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Nondumiso Faith Nyembe. In her statement, the complainant said that before the incident, she was an active person who got along with others and was focused on her studies. Following the incident, she has become shy, gets stressed easily, and gets angry with her siblings and others. She said that she has undergone severe trauma. 

The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm. The court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. 

Curbing the scourge of gender-based violence remains an organisational priority for the NPA. Together with our partners in the Justice Cluster, we will pursue justice for the victims of crime. 

Issued by: 

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara 

NPA Regional Spokesperson 

KZN Division 

071 6700 229