The Giyani Regional Court has sentenced a 32-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping his 14-year-old neighbour. The sentence was handed down today, Friday, 07 November 2025.
The court heard that on Saturday, 01 October 2022, at approximately 20:30, the 14-year-old victim was walking home after watching a soccer tournament at Mbaula Village. She encountered her neighbour, (the accused), who was known to her, together with his friend.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the victim grabbed the victim’s hands, and when she resisted, he assaulted her with open hands and forcefully took her to his friend’s residence. Upon arrival, he opened the door, forcefully placed her on a bed, and raped her. After the assault, he threatened her not to tell anyone and made further disturbing threats against her friends.
The victim managed to escape to her friend’s family and reported the matter during the night. She was accompanied by her friend’s family to her home and was subsequently taken to the local clinic for medical attention. The matter was then reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS).
A rape case docket was opened and assigned to Detective Sergeant Conny Mapengo of Giyani Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit. Sergeant Mapengo worked tirelessly on the case and managed to arrest the suspect two days after the incident. She successfully opposed bail, and the suspect remained in custody until his conviction today.
The accused was sentenced as follows:
Count 1: Life imprisonment for rape
Count 2: Six (6) months imprisonment
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Major General Jan Scheepers has welcomed the sentence and commended Detective Sergeant Conny Mapengo for her dedication and professionalism in ensuring justice for the victim.
“We encourage community members to continue reporting such crimes and assure them that SAPS remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, ” said Major General Scheepers Scheepers.
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