A 24-year-old man from Hennenman in the Free State has been sentenced to an effective 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping his mother and grandmother in two separate incidents in 2025.
The Virginia Regional Court handed down the sentence on 29 September 2026, following incidents in Phomolong in April and December last year.
According to Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Palesa Thabana, the first incident occurred on 6 April 2025, when the man made sexual advances towards his 40-year-old mother at her home.
His mother rejected the advances and reprimanded him, explaining that a sexual relationship between a mother and her son was wrong.
However, at approximately 3.20am, while she was asleep, the man entered her bedroom, removed her blankets and clothing, and raped her.
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He was subsequently arrested and charged with rape but was later released on bail.
Eight months later, on 19 December 2025, he attacked his 63-year-old grandmother at her home in Phomolong.
The court heard that the man pulled his grandmother out of bed by her feet before telling her that he wanted her to experience the same pain he had felt when she became a witness against him in his mother’s rape case.
Despite her pleas for him to stop, he raped her.
He was arrested again, and police opposed bail during his subsequent court appearance.
Both cases were investigated by the Thabong Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, with Sergeant Moleboheng Molete and Warrant Officer Mia Engelbrecht handling the investigations.
The man eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of rape.
Regional Magistrate Sonwabo Mgudlwa sentenced him to 10 years’ direct imprisonment for raping his mother and 15 years for raping his grandmother, with five years of the second sentence suspended.
The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning he will serve an effective 10 years behind bars rather than 20 years.
The court also ordered that his details be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
Lejweleputswa District Commissioner Major General Tholie Afonso welcomed the sentence and commended the investigators and prosecution for their work in securing the conviction.
The convicted man’s identity has been withheld to protect the identities of his mother and grandmother.
