Durban — A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a man who strangled and raped a woman who was jogging in the Nkandla area last year.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said that the Nkandla Regional Court sentenced Sizwe Bhengu to life imprisonment for the rape and attempted robbery of a woman in the Nkandla area in February 2022.
“The woman was out jogging when Bhengu ran behind her and threatened her with a knife, asking for her cellphone. He then dragged her into a bush, where he strangled her and raped her at knifepoint. Security guards at nearby premises witnessed Bhengu dragging the woman into the bushes and called the police. The woman was rescued by the guards and the police, and Bhengu was caught in the bushes,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
She said that during court proceedings, Regional Court Prosecutor Philile Shilenge led the evidence of the woman and the security guards. Medical evidence from the doctor who examined the woman as well as the testimonies of the police officials were also presented to court. In furtherance of the state’s case, Shilenge submitted a Victim Impact Statement, compiled by the woman, and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Amanda Pretty Nxumalo.
In her statement, the woman said that the incident had severely affected all aspects of her life. She is afraid to go out, especially in the evening as she expects someone to attack her, Ramkisson-Kara said.
“Bhengu was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and one-year imprisonment for attempted robbery. Also, the court ordered that his name must be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders; and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
She added that the NPA welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter, and the authority hopes that sentences of this nature will help turn the tide against gender-based violence and sexual offences.
The NPA also commended the work done by the prosecution and the police.
Meanwhile, according to the fourth quarter of 2021/2022 (January to March 2022) crime statistics, 10 818 rapes were recorded in South Africa.
Of those rapes, 2 017 were in KZN.
Inanda, Plessislaer, uMlazi and Madadeni police stations made it onto the list of the top 30 police stations where rapes were reported.
Moreover, 148 of the rapes reported in KZN took place in a public place like a street, open field, recreational centre, park, beach, parking area or abandoned building.
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