Cape Town - A former lawyer accused of luring young boys to Muizenberg Beach and exploiting them for sexual favours has been sentenced to eight years behind bars by the Wynberg Regional Court this week.
Theo Hartzenberg was arrested three years ago after the boys’ parents came forward to reveal graphic details of the sex crimes in 2021.
At the time, the angry parents gathered at the Muizenberg Magistrate’s Court, where they said the boys from Vrygrond were overheard talking about the incidents.
When probed by their parents, it was revealed that they visited Muizenberg Beach each day after school to hustle for money in the parking areas, and were lured by Hartzenberg and paid to have anal sex with him.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said in February, Hartzenberg was convicted on a count of statutory rape, a count of sexual exploitation of a child, and a count of engaging in sexual services of a person older than 18.
Hartzenberg was slapped with more than 20 charges and after he pleaded not guilty, a full trial commenced.
State prosecutor Jacqueline Hefele called a 21-year-old witness who has been homeless since he was 18.
He testified that he knew Hartzenberg as the “lawyer who stayed in a block of flats in Muizenberg close to the beach”.
He learned about the accused from the other boys and first met him when he was with a friend.
He told the court he saw Hartzenberg coming towards the beach and the witness acted as a guard while his friend had sex with Hartzenberg and was later paid R100 for his role.
The next day, the witness, his friend, and another boy had sex with the accused, and he paid them R100 each. A 16-year-old boy also testified and confirmed the evidence of the first witness.
“On the first occasion, he attempted to have sex with the accused but couldn’t … and was paid R100,” said Ntabazalila.
“On the following occasions, he and the other boys had sex with the accused on weekends and each was paid R100.
“He also alleged that other boys would go but not get an erection, they would be paid R50.
“He was a learner but would bunk school on Fridays to beg at the beach.
“His parents were not aware of what was happening.”
During the trial, Hartzenberg refused to testify.
“The court sentenced him to eight years’ direct imprisonment for statutory rape with three years suspended for five years on condition he is not convicted for a similar charge during the period of suspension.
“It also sentenced him to eight years’ direct imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a child and three months’ direct imprisonment for engaging in sexual services of a person older than 18 years, which was suspended for five years on condition that he is acquitted of committing a similar offence during the period of suspension.
“The court ordered the sentences it imposed on charges of statutory rape and sexual exploitation of a child to run concurrently, effectively sentencing him to eight years of direct imprisonment.”