A 63-year-old man began serving a life sentence after being convicted by the Mitchells Plain Regional Court for raping his 13-year-old granddaughter. The man, previously on parole for raping his daughter, was declared unfit to work with children or possess a firearm and was added to the National Register for Sex Offenders.
This case highlights South Africa's gender-based violence (GBV) epidemic. A recent Human Sciences Research Council study found nearly 40% of women experience physical or sexual violence, with younger and Black African women disproportionately affected. The report calls for a comprehensive national action plan to combat GBV, including rape, femicide, and domestic abuse, which remain widespread in the country.