LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR THE RAPE OF A MINOR

28 NOVEMBER 2025 

LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR THE RAPE OF A MINOR 

The Esikhawini Regional Court has sentenced a 42-year-old man to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty (Section 112(2)) to the rape of a 15-year-old girl in May 2025 in the Nsingweni area. The accused is the complainant’s paternal uncle. On 27 May 2025, the complainant went to the accused’s house to seek help with a family matter. He asked her to stay over, saying that it was late and that he would attend to the matter the following day. 

During the night, he raped her and apologised to her the next day. He then took her home to attend to the family matter. The complainant reported the matter to her paternal aunt thereafter, and the police were informed. The complainant was taken to Ngwelezane Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) for psycho-social and medico-legal assistance, and the accused was subsequently arrested. 

In court, Prosecutor Kamogelo Mahila Nkwatle argued that the accused abused his position of trust as the complainant was like his child. The state also handed in a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) compiled by the complainant and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Ntombi Chonco. In her VIS, the complainant said that the incident had psychologically and emotionally distressed her. She said that she lives in constant fear and has a lack of trust in male persons. In addition to the life sentence, the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm and unsuitable to work with children. The court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. 

The NPA welcomes the conviction and sentence, especially as South Africa is currently commemorating the 16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children campaign. We hope that sentences of this nature reaffirm the NPA’s unwavering pursuit of justice. 

Issued by: 

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara 

NPA Regional Spokesperson 

KZN Division 

071 6700 229