Northern Cape teen gets life for raping six-year-old girl

IN BATLHAROS, near Kuruman, a chilling act of violence against a six-year-old girl has ended with a life sentence for 19-year-old Alex Thato Tshipagaebonwe.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said that on September 12, 2021, the young victim had been playing with friends at around 10am when she was accosted by Tshipagaebonwe. He took her into a nearby room and raped her.

The young girl reported the horrific ordeal to her mother, leading to Tshipagaebonwe’s arrest.

Kock added that the Northern Cape SAPS welcomed the life sentence handed down to Tshipagaebonwe, whose name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. He has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The court’s decision was described as a strong signal that no leniency will be shown to perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). The “meticulous investigation” by Detective Constable Tholakele Majola from the Kuruman SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit was singled out for securing the conviction.

Brigadier Kenneth Baloyi, the acting district commissioner for John Taolo Gaetsewe, stressed that the outcome “truly ensured that no impunity is granted to perpetrators of these heinous GBVF crimes”.

Tshipagaebonwe’s sentencing comes as part of a broader national effort by the SAPS to stamp out GBVF. 

Between September 1 and 7, intelligence-driven operations across the country resulted in the arrest of 196 rape suspects, including 96 wanted offenders and 13 more linked to sexual offences in multiple provinces.

The SAPS has launched a 90-day blitz to intensify its fight against GBVF, with specialised FCS units leading the drive to bring sexual predators before the courts and secure lengthy sentences.

In Gauteng, the police arrested a 41-year-old man on September 11, linking him to 45 cases in Soweto and two in the North West dating back to 2008. The suspect allegedly targeted women between the ages of 14 and 55, threatening them with a firearm or knife while concealing his identity with a balaclava.

Notable recent convictions highlight the scale of the police’s efforts:

• Limpopo: Kabelo Rodger Sebetha, 24, was sentenced to 10 years for the 2022 rape of a 21-year-old woman in Ga-Maponto.
• Free State: Mothae Augastina Rahlao, 34, received a life sentence for raping a 15-year-old minor, while Tsotang Francis Dineka, 51, was jailed for 20 years for raping a 21-year-old woman and breaching a protection order.
• Gauteng: Serial rapist Musa Maicana, 27, was sentenced to three life terms and a further 300 years for 43 counts including rape, armed robbery and possession of dangerous weapons.

The SAPS has urged communities to play their part by reporting perpetrators and standing against abuse, emphasising that tackling GBVF requires collective action from society as a whole.