Two separate cases of severe sexual violence in Northern KwaZulu-Natal have ended with heavy prison sentences, following successful prosecutions by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Madadeni and Vryheid.
The matters, heard in separate courts, involved a 32-year-old woman who was raped after being trapped inside a home in Blaaubosch, and a nine-year-old girl who was raped by a man known to her family in the Hlobane area of Vryheid.
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Detailing the first case, NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara confirmed that the offence involving a 43-year-old Madadeni man took place in August 2025, when he assaulted and raped the 32-year-old complainant in the Blaaubosch locality.
During the proceedings, the court heard that the complainant and the accused were known to one another.
On 24 August 2025, the woman had been walking home after socialising with friends when she passed the accused’s homestead. When he called her over and invited her inside to fetch matches so they could smoke together, she entered the home.
However, once she was inside, the accused followed her in and locked the door.
“He then assaulted her and raped her. During the rape, the accused assaulted the complainant again,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
Despite sustaining multiple injuries, the complainant managed to escape from the house and sought help from a local community member, who accompanied her to the police station to open a case.
“The complainant was then taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) for medico-legal and psychosocial support,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
The accused was later arrested at his homestead after the complainant directed police to the location.
During the trial, State Prosecutor Zama Zikalala led the evidence of the complainant and the community member who assisted her. The State also presented corroborating evidence from the investigating officer and the medical practitioner who examined the complainant after the assault.
Explaining the sentence, Ramkisson-Kara said the circumstances of the offence brought the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment into play.
“As the commission of the rape was accompanied by the infliction of violence, the minimum sentence of life imprisonment was applicable. During sentencing, the court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum sentence, and the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment. Additionally, he was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders,” she said.
Ramkisson-Kara added that the NPA remained committed to pursuing gender-based violence matters through dedicated prosecutorial support and survivor-focused services.
She further noted that this work is supported by the ongoing expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centre network, which has grown from 55 facilities in the 2020/2021 period to 66 active sites across South Africa.
“These centres provide integrated medical, legal, and psychosocial services to survivors, thereby enhancing the quality of prosecutions,” Ramkisson-Kara observed.
The outcome was echoed in a separate matter before the Vryheid Regional Court, where a 33-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years’ direct imprisonment after being convicted of raping a nine-year-old girl in the Hlobane area.
The court heard that the accused lived in the same neighbourhood as the child and was known to her family.
The incident took place on 18 May 2021, after the accused had visited the child’s family home to have his hair trimmed.
“When he left, he left behind the hair that had been cut. The complainant’s mother then instructed the complainant to collect the hair, place it in a plastic bag, and take it to the accused’s residence. Upon her arrival at the accused’s home, he raped her. Thereafter, he falsely informed the child that her mother had instructed him to do so. He further threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
When the child returned home, her mother questioned her about the delay. The child then disclosed what had happened, after which the family immediately contacted the authorities. She was taken to hospital for medical attention and forensic assessment.
The accused was arrested soon afterwards, after returning to the family’s home for an unrelated matter.
“Subsequently, the accused visited the complainant’s home seeking assistance with an unrelated matter. The complainant’s mother delayed him at the premises until the police arrived, resulting in his arrest,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
During the trial, State Prosecutor Kwazikwakhe Sibiya led the evidence of the child and her mother. The State also presented DNA evidence linking the accused to the offence.
In addition, Victim Impact Statements were submitted to the court, having been compiled with the assistance of Court Preparation Officer Bheki Hopewell Sithole.
Ramkisson-Kara said the child explained that she had trusted the accused, whom she had regarded as an extended family member.
“She explained that the incident left her traumatised and that she had endured ridicule from her peers as a result of what had happened to her. The complainant’s mother stated that she had regarded the accused as both a friend and a brother. She expressed her disappointment that, instead of protecting her child, he had betrayed their trust and caused her significant harm,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
Although the prescribed minimum sentence for the offence was life imprisonment, the court imposed a 30-year sentence after finding that the accused’s period of incarceration since 2021 amounted to a substantial and compelling circumstance.
“The court found that the accused’s period of incarceration since 2021 constituted a substantial and compelling circumstance justifying a departure from the prescribed sentence. In addition, the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
She added that the accused had violated a position of trust and exploited the vulnerability of a child who should have been protected.
The two cases highlight the severe harm caused by sexual violence, particularly where victims are targeted by people known to them or their families.
In both matters, the courts also ordered that the convicted men be declared unfit to possess firearms and that their names be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
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For the NPA, the sentences mark two further convictions in matters involving gender-based violence and child sexual abuse in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, with both cases underscoring the role of survivor support, medical evidence, victim impact statements and prosecutorial preparation in securing convictions.
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