A 34-year-old man from Lesotho has been sentenced to an effective 40 years in prison for raping a teenager in the Eastern Cape.
Tisetso Maoeng was sentenced in the Sterkspruit Regional Court. He was found guilty of three counts of rape and of breaking the Immigration Act.
“The accused pleaded not guilty, claiming that the sexual encounters were consensual. However, the court found his version to be riddled with contradictions and rejected it as false beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Luxolo Tyali, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in the Eastern Cape.
Tyali said the attack took place on 24 September 2025. The 18-year-old victim had been sent to a local spaza shop when a man greeted her from behind.
“She ignored the voice, but an unknown man caught up with her and asked for her cellphone number. When she informed him that she did not have a cellphone and rejected his advances, the man became aggressive,” Tyali said.
According to the NPA, Maoeng grabbed her and tried to kiss her. She fought back and cried for help, but he overpowered her and raped her in an open field during the day.
“Tragically, no one came to her assistance. The perpetrator then forced her to his house, where he told her that he intended to marry her and proceeded to rape her repeatedly,” Tyali said.
The next morning, the young woman convinced him to let her go home. She promised him she would come back later that night. Maoeng walked part of the way with her and then turned back.
When she got home, she told a family member what had happened. The relative took her to a clinic and helped her report the matter to the police.
Tyali said the victim showed police where Maoeng lived. He was arrested there and charged.
During the trial, the State called the victim and the family member she first told as witnesses. It also handed in a medical report with findings linked to the assault.
Regional court prosecutor Anele Magibile asked the court for a heavy sentence. Magibile argued that rape cases have reached alarming levels and that courts must protect vulnerable people.
The court agreed. It gave Maoeng 20 years for each of the three rape counts and one year for breaking the Immigration Act.
Parts of the sentences will run at the same time. This means Maoeng will serve an effective 40 years in prison.
The Director of Public Prosecutions for the Eastern Cape, Advocate Samkelo Mtwana, welcomed the sentence. Mtwana praised the prosecutors and police for how they handled the case.
“This sentence demonstrates the courts’ unwavering commitment to protecting women and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual violence are held fully accountable for their actions. We remain steadfast in our efforts to combat gender-based violence and secure justice for victims,” Mtwana said.
Tyali said the NPA would keep prosecuting crimes against women and other vulnerable people without fear, favour or prejudice.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL. Image: IOL. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.