SPRINGBOK – A 45-year-old female from Vioolsdrift in the Northern Cape, who was convicted on 33 counts of sexual offences involving children aged 7 to 12 years, received an effective 25 years’ imprisonment.

These crimes were committed from January 2022 to November 2023 and included compelled rape, attempted rape, sexual exploitation, sexual grooming, and forcing children to witness sexual offences.

The accused, who was a well-known resident of Vioolsdrift, was sentenced on 5 June in the Springbok Regional Court.

During proceedings, the court heard how the accused held Bible study lessons and attended church gatherings, whilst abusing her position of trust. She lured children with money, sweets, and outings, then manipulated them into sexual acts, subjected them to inappropriate sexual actions and groomed them for exploitation.

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She confessed and pleaded guilty to multiple charges, and acknowledged that her conduct was unlawful and punishable by law, said Captain Ivan Magerman, communications officer of the South African Police Service in the Namakwa District.

The court imposed sentences as follows:

• Six counts of compelled rape: Taken together, the accused was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment, of which five years were suspended for five years on condition that she does not re-offend under the Sexual Offences Act.
• Eleven counts of attempted rape/instructing a child to rape: combined, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
• Seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child: combined, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
• Seven counts of compelling a child to witness sexual offences: combined, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
• Two counts of sexual grooming: combined, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

In terms of Section 280 of the Criminal Procedure Act, these sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective 25 years’ imprisonment.

Protective orders and register listing

Additional protective orders were issued. The accused’s name will be recorded in the National Sexual Offences Register. She was declared unfit to work with children under the Child Care Act and declared unfit to possess a firearm under the Firearms Control Act.

The investigation was led by Detective Warrant Officer Ayanda Philips of the Springbok Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit and the trial presented by prosecutor Basil Kock.

In its statement, the SAPS commented that this sentence is a clear and uncompromising message that those who exploit and abuse children will face the harshest punishment under South African law.