A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison for raping a 95-year-old woman in Sesalong village, Limpopo.

The Polokwane High Court sentenced the man to 20 years’ direct imprisonment for rape and a further eight years for housebreaking with intent to rape.

The sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will serve an effective 20 years behind bars.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence, describing it as an important step in securing justice for one of society’s most vulnerable victims.

The court also ordered that the accused’s name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. His identity has been withheld to protect the victim from further trauma and secondary victimisation.

The accused pleaded guilty under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act and admitted that he knew the victim as the grandmother of a friend.

The court heard that on 4 October 2025, the man went to the elderly woman’s home in Sesalong village looking for his friend.

After finding the doors unlocked, he entered the house and found the 95-year-old woman alone.

He told her that he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her.

When she refused, the man allegedly overpowered her and raped her twice before fleeing the scene.

Community members apprehended him the following day and handed him over to police.

DNA evidence later positively linked him to the rape.

During sentencing proceedings, State Advocate Lerato Mohlaka submitted a victim impact statement prepared with the assistance of Court Preparation Officer Morongwe Moifo.

The statement detailed the emotional impact of the attack on the elderly woman.

The victim said she felt humiliated, disgraced and deeply disrespected by the assault.

She had regarded the accused as a great-grandchild, making the attack particularly distressing for her.

The victim told the prosecution team that the incident had profoundly affected her outlook on life and her sense of dignity.

The State argued that the accused’s reliance on intoxication, his age and his expression of remorse did not amount to substantial and compelling circumstances warranting a departure from the prescribed minimum sentence.

Prosecutors had urged the court to impose life imprisonment, arguing that elderly people are among the most vulnerable members of society and require the full protection of the law.

Despite the State’s argument, the court imposed the effective 20-year sentence.

Limpopo Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Ivy Thenga welcomed the sentence and said it demonstrated the NPA’s commitment to holding perpetrators of gender based violence accountable.

“This sentence affirms the NPA’s unwavering commitment to securing justice for victims of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, particularly the most vulnerable members of our society,” Thenga said.

She said crimes of this nature violated victims’ dignity, safety and fundamental rights and could not be tolerated.

Thenga also commended Mohlaka, the investigating officer and other stakeholders involved in the prosecution.

The sentence comes as South Africa’s criminal justice authorities continue to focus on securing convictions and harsher accountability for perpetrators of gender based violence, particularly crimes committed against vulnerable victims.

The NPA said it remains committed to prosecuting gender based violence and femicide cases and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable.