Sentencing Rape Offenders in South Africa: Recent Case Law Sithole v S; Masango v S; Nyathi v S
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2025/v28i0a18881Keywords:
Rape, minimum sentence, life imprisonment, grievous bodily harm, co-perpetratorAbstract
South African criminal courts are inundated with rape trials. In reaction to the high rate of serious crime, the legislature implemented sections 51 to 53 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997, in terms of which minimum sentences are prescribed for various crimes. Since its passing, this so-called "minimum sentencing legislation" has been the subject of academic debate. The Gauteng high court in Sithole v S (A105/2021) [2024] ZAGPPHC 39 (18 January 2024), Masango v S (A175/2021) [2024] ZAGPPHC 64 (5 February 2024) and Nyathi v S (A133/2020) [2024] ZAGPPHC 121 (6 February 2024) has recently considered the sentence of life imprisonment where the rape involved grievous bodily harm, the complainant was 14-years old at the time of the rape. The complainant was raped by an accused and a co-perpetrator. As part of the ongoing academic debate, these recent decisions implore critical academic analysis. This contribution elucidates how the South African courts employ a sentence of life imprisonment as their most powerful weapon in the ongoing fight against the rising rape statistics. The continued high prevalence of rape cases before South African courts still cast a huge shadow over the success of prescribed minimum sentences as a deterrent to rape.
Downloads
References
Bibliography
Literature
Burchell J Principles of Criminal Law 5th ed (Juta Cape Town 2016)
Cameron E "The Crisis of Criminal Justice in South Africa" 2020 SALJ 32-71 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3108/2020/i69a9253
Cameron E "Imprisoning the Nation: Minimum Sentences in South Africa" Dean’s Distinguished Lecture (19 October 2017 19h00 Faculty of Law, University of the Western Cape)
Crenshaw D et al "Developmentally and Trauma-Sensitive Courtrooms" 2019 Journal of Humanistic Psychology 779-795 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167816641854
Du Toit E et al Commentary on the Criminal Procedure Act (Juta Cape Town 1997)
Gumboh E "The Abolition of the Mandatory Death Penalty in Africa and the Resentencing of the Innocent" 2024 Perspectives of Law and Public Administration 556-565 DOI: https://doi.org/10.62768/PLPA/2024/13/4/06
Kunle O and Matsha RM "Powerful Discourse: Gender-based Violence and Counter-discourses in South Africa" 2021 Cogent Arts and Humanities https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2021.1911035 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2021.1911035
Le Roux-Bouwer J "The Krugersdorp Gang Rapes: Another Tshabalala v S; Ntuli v S? Part 1" 2023 SALJ 1-16 DOI: https://doi.org/10.47348/SALJ/v140/i1a1
Le Roux-Bouwer J and Museka CP "Physical Violence: Crime or Cultural Protégé?" 2024 De Jure 206-220 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2225-7160/2024/v57a15
Matzopoulos R "Utility of Crime Surveys for Sustainable Development Goals Monitoring and Violence Prevention Using a Public Health Approach" 2019 SAMJ 382-386 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2019.v109i6.13806
Smit DVZ "Taking Life Imprisonment Seriously in National and International Law" 2002 Monatsschrift für Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform 90-92
Snyman CR Criminal Law 7th ed (LexisNexis Durban 2020)
Terblanche SS "Mandatory and Minimum Sentences: Considering s 51 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1997" 2003 Acta Juridica: Criminal Justice in a New Society 194-220
Terblanche SS "Twenty Years of Constitutional Court Judgements: What Lessons are There About Sentencing?" 2017 PELJ 1-37 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2017/v20i0a1499
Case law
AK v Minister of Police 2023 2 SA 321 (CC)
Bogaards v S (CCT 120/11) [2012] ZACC 23 (28 September 2012)
Bulelani v S (A26/2023) [2024] ZAGPPHC 50 (24 January 2024)
Centre for Child Law v Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development 2009 6 SA 632 (CC)
Director of Public Prosecutions Kwazulu-Natal v Mekka (57/2002) [2003] ZASCA 17 (26 March 2003)
Director of Public Prosecutions, Gauteng Division, Pretoria v Tsotetsi (170/2017) [2017] ZASCA 83 (2 June 2017)
Faniswa v S (A111/2023) [2024] ZAFSHC 71 (12 March 2024)
JSG v S (CA 52/22) [2024] ZANWHC 71 (12 March 2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s35128-024-2563-7
Khambule v S (AR 267/2018) [2023] ZAKZPHC 35 (24 March 2023)
Maila v S (429/2022) [2023] ZASCA 3 (23 January 2023) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-023-00577-3
Masango v S (A175/2021) [2024] ZAGPPHC 64 (5 February 2024)
Masiya v Director of Public Prosecutions Pretoria 2007 5 SA 30 (CC)
Mokwele v S (A34/2021) [2024] ZAGPPHC 51 (22 January 2024)
Mthanti v S (859/2022) [2024] ZASCA 15 (8 February 2024)
Ndou v S 2014 1 SACR 198 (SCA)
Nedzamba v S (911/2012) [2013] ZASCA 69 (27 May 2013) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40290-013-0004-8
Nyathi v S (A133/2020) [2024] ZAGPPHC 121 (6 February 2024)
President of the RSA v South African Rugby Football Union 2000 1 SA 1 (CC)
Rabako v S (A234/2006) [2007] ZAFSHC 47 (7 June 2007)
S v B 2003 1 SACR 52 (SCA)
S v De Kock 1997 2 SACR 171 (T) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25115/oralia.v1i.8555
S v Dodo 2001 3 SA 382 (CC)
S v Francis (95/89) [1990] ZASCA 141 [(26 November 1990) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6281.1990.tb00234.x
S v Gallant (CA&R 69/06) [2007] ZAECHC 64 (19 July 2007)
S v Hadebe (298/94) [1997] ZASCA 86 (29 September 1997) DOI: https://doi.org/10.2753/CSP1097-1467290286
S v Isaacs (SS38/2011) [2012] ZAWCHC 91 (24 May 2012) DOI: https://doi.org/10.3917/spub.122.0091
S v Jansen (186/2023) [2024] ZAWCHC 14 (19 January 2024)
S v Lewis (54/2024) [2024] ZAWCHC 59 (26 February 2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/036063252024054010009
S v Makwanyane 1995 3 SA 391 (CC)
S v Malgas (117/2000) [2001] ZASCA 30 (19 March 2001) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00690805.2001.9714150
S v Matyityi 2011 1 SACR 40 (SCA)
S v Mngoma 2009 1 SACR 435 (EC)
S v Monyane (160/01) [2006] ZASCA 113 (23 November 2006) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/07363760610655041
S v PB 2013 2 SACR 533 (SCA)
S v Siebert 1998 1 SACR 554 (A)
S v Sikhipha (262/05) [2006] ZASCA 73 (30 May 2006) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1152/advances.2006.30.4.262
S v Stefaans 1999 1 SACR 182 (K)
S v Tabethe (CC468/06) [2009] ZAGPHC 23 (23 January 2009) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03080682
S v Tuswa 2013 2 SACR 269 (KZN)
S v V 1998 2 SACR 651 (CPD)
S v Vilakazi 2009 1 SACR 552 (SCA)
S v Vilakazi 2012 6 SA 353 (SCA)
S v Zinn 1969 2 SA 537 (A) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00347009
Sithole v S (A105/2021) [2024] ZAGPPHC 39 (18 January 2024)
Thole v S (A138/2010) [2011] ZAFSHC 136 (30 August 2011)
Van Rooy v S (CA & R 57/2022) [2024] ZANCHC 50 (24 May 2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14529/build240407
Vardien v S (A36/2024) [2024] ZAWCHC 79 (11 March 2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.51202/1869-9707-2024-49-011
Legislation
Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007
Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 (as amended)
Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jolandi Le Roux-Bouwer
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
.png){kind=spacer}