A 38-year-old man, Elphas Ellias Shabangu, was sentenced to three life terms by the Volksrust Regional Court for the rape of three minors in separate incidents in Piet Retief and Volksrust, according to a joint statement by the National Prosecution Authority and the South African Police Service.
The first incident occurred on October 11, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m. in Piet Retief. Shabangu approached an 8-year-old girl at her home near the gate, asking her to buy a box of matches from a nearby shop. He gave her 5 rand, telling her she could keep 2 rand. When she returned, Shabangu, who was unknown to the victim, persuaded her to accompany him to a nearby sports ground, where he raped her and fled.
On October 18, 2023, at around 6:00 p.m. in Piet Retief, Shabangu targeted a 9-year-old girl playing with her younger brother. He asked her to call his “female friend,” then followed her to an abandoned house near a church, where he raped her. He gave her 2 rand and told her not to tell anyone. The victim later identified him.
The third incident took place on August 17, 2024, at about 11:00 a.m. in Volksrust. An 11-year-old girl was playing with her younger brothers at home when Shabangu approached, convincing her to call his “female friend” nearby. He followed and raped her, then severely assaulted her before fleeing. Community members assisted the victim in reporting the crime to the police, leading to Shabangu’s arrest on August 24, 2024, after the victim identified him. The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit linked him to the earlier Piet Retief cases.
Shabangu abandoned his bail application and remained in custody until sentencing. He pleaded guilty to all three counts. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment for each count, with counts two and three to run concurrently with the first. He was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and his name was ordered to be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
“The state presented a watertight case against him,” the National Prosecution Authority and South African Police Service stated, emphasizing the thorough investigation and community cooperation that led to his conviction.