Nyamekile Alfred Bhenge (80) from Ngangelizwe Township in Mthatha was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment by the Mthatha Regional Court today for raping his biological daughter.
The incident happened between 1978 and 1984.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Luxolo Tyhali, said the victim in this case has since cut ties with her family and changed her identity and that she gave consent for the name of her rapist to be made public.
He said when Bhenge started raping his daughter, she was 14 years old.
“They stayed together at Ngangelizwe Township in Mthatha, while her mother – who has since divorced Bhenge – worked as a migrant domestic worker in Durban. As a result of the rapes, the victim gave birth to a son in March 1983. Paternity tests conducted during investigations positively identified Bhenge as the biological father of the (now) man, aged 37,” said Tyhali.
He added that after giving birth, the daughter ran away from home and relocated to Gauteng.
The victim only decided to report her ordeal to authorities in Johannesburg after the much publicised successful prosecution of former professional tennis player and coach, Bob Hewitt in 2015. Hewitt was sentenced for raping and sexually assaulting young girls in the 1980s and 1990s.
“The Gauteng police transferred the case to Mthatha, where upon completion of investigations, Bhenge was arrested. He was convicted in July this year after pleading guilty. In his plea explanation, Bhenge blamed alcohol.”
According to Tyhali, he claimed that he committed the rapes while drunk and thought his daughter was one of his “many girlfriends” as his wife had left him.
In pre-sentence reports submitted to court, the victim – who is now an established businesswoman – vowed to never forgive her father, adding that she wants nothing to do with her entire extended family due to the abuse she endured.
“Since the crimes were committed before the Minimum Sentences Act came to effect, the court used its discretion in sentencing Bhenge, and took into consideration his age and health.
“The NPA welcomes the sentence with the hope that it will encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward even if the crimes took place a long time ago, so that the perpetrators can face the full might of the law.”
