GROBLERSDAL, LIMPOPO – A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Groblersdal Regional Court for the brutal rape of a 101-year-old woman in what prosecutors described as a deliberate attack on society’s most vulnerable members.
Sifiso Johannes Mahlangu from Sehlakwana village in Zaaiplaas received the maximum penalty after being convicted of rape and housebreaking with intent to commit an offence. The court ordered both sentences to run concurrently, resulting in an effective life imprisonment term.
The horrific crime occurred on 27 July 2024, when Mahlangu broke into the elderly victim’s home in Zaaiplaas. Despite pleading not guilty to all charges, he was linked to the crime through DNA evidence that led to his arrest.
During sentencing proceedings, State Prosecutor Sifiso Miya presented compelling evidence of the devastating impact on the victim. A report compiled by social worker Khomolo Mufunwa revealed the severe psychological trauma suffered by the elderly woman, who now lives in constant fear and no longer feels safe in her own home.
“The victim has developed a deep fear of men and her sense of security has been completely shattered,” the court heard through victim impact statements.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence as a victory for justice. Director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo, Advocate Ivy Thenga stated the constitutional importance of the case.
“All cases of sexual violence encroach on the rights to dignity and privacy of victims as enshrined in our Constitution. The NPA is committed to aggressively prosecuting these cases,” Thenga stated.
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