By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
29 October 2026 – A man (31) was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape. This comes after Tshepiso Tau (31) raped a girl (16) at Madiba A Makgabane village, outside Mahikeng on 13 February 2022.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in the North West, Lindiwe Mabasa said the victim went with two friends to a traditional event in the nearby village of Madiba A Makgabane. Mabasa said her friends later left her at a local tavern.
“Tau approached her and told her that they had left. He offered to accompany her back to her village and she agreed. As they walked past a bushy area, Tau allegedly produced a knife, threatened the victim and raped her. He then took her to his shack, where he continued to rape her throughout the night.
“The following morning, the victim told Tau that she was hungry. He left to buy bread at a nearby shop, giving her an opportunity to escape. She fled and reported the incident to her mother,” she said.
Mabasa further said the complainant received assistance at a Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), where Site Coordinator Grace Modiba attended to her. She added that the matter was reported to the police, leading to Tau’s arrest.
“During sentencing proceedings, the state, represented by Advocate Kefentse Diseko, argued for life imprisonment. The defence pleaded for a lesser sentence in mitigation. The court found Tau guilty on two counts of rape. It accepted the state’s argument that the victim’s distraught condition when she reported the incident to her mother was consistent with that of a person who had been raped.
“The court also found that the aggravating circumstances, particularly the victim’s age and Tau’s exploitation of her vulnerability, warranted the prescribed minimum sentence. Tau was sentenced to life imprisonment. The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders,” said Mabasa.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari welcomed the sentence, saying it sends a strong message that those who sexually violate children will face the full might of the law. Makhari said the NPA remains committed to combating Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and protecting children and other vulnerable members of society.
“We will continue to prosecute perpetrators of sexual offences with the seriousness they deserve, contributing to the broader national effort to address this scourge,” she said.
