The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the sentencing of two men found guilty of the sexual assault and abuse of two minor girls in the Letsitele policing area under Mopani District.
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On 15 May 2025, the Limpopo High Court, sentenced a 39-year-old father and his 37-year-old friend to life imprisonment for their heinous crimes committed against the man’s biological daughters, aged 9 and 11 years.
The court heard evidence of systematic abuse that took place between 2022 and 2023. Following the separation of their parents, the children were left in the care of their father, who subjected them to severe physical abuse and facilitated their sexual exploitation. In a particularly disturbing pattern of behavior, the father would beat the children brutally with a belt and, on occasions when he failed to pay his farm workers, would offer his daughters to be sexually abused as a form of “payment.”
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In separate incidents, the father’s 37-year-old friend would take the minors to a secluded area near a dam where he repeatedly raped them. The ordeal only came to light between August and November 2023 when an attentive educator observed concerning behavioral changes in the children. After they disclosed the abuse, the educator promptly alerted relevant stakeholders, including social workers and the police, leading to the immediate removal of the children to a place of safety.
Although both accused were initially released on bail, the father’s bail was subsequently revoked after he was accused of witness intimidation.
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The 39-year-old father was sentenced as follows:
*Count 1: Rape – Life imprisonment
*Count 4: Assault GBH- Three years imprisonment
*Count 5: Assault GBH- Five years imprisonment.
The 37-year-old accomplice was sentenced as follows:
*Count 9: Rape – Life imprisonment
*Count 10: Rape – Life imprisonment
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Lieutenant General Hadebe, has commended the Tzaneen Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit for their meticulous investigation which led to the successful prosecution.
“This case represents one of the most horrific incidents of child abuse we have encountered in our province. It also demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting children and securing justice for victims of gender-based violence.”
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Lieutenant General Hadebe further extended gratitude to the educator who reported the matter, the social workers who provided support to the victims, and the prosecution team for their roles in securing these convictions.
