A 52-YEAR-OLD Paarl resident has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping and creating pornographic material of a 2-year-old relative.
The rapist, Wikus van Deventer, was sentenced on Friday just as the country marks the end of Child Protection Week today.
A case was opened against the man in May last year after he was left in the care of two children for the day.
“It was upon the return of the mother of the child that it was discovered that something was amiss. Further investigation of the matter resulted in the discovery of the child’s naked pictures and videos in the accused’s cellphone,” said police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa.
“Warrant Officer Robin Taudie of the Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation unit initiated an extensive investigation that saw Van Deventer’s cellphone sent for forensic analysis in Pretoria.”
Novela said Van Deventer was sentenced to 25 years for child rape and eight years for the creation and possession of child pornography. He will serve an effective 30 years. Three years of the eight-year child porn sentence will run concurrently with the rape jail term.
Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile lauded the investigation and prosecution teams for ensuring Van Deventer’s incarceration.
“With the perpetrator behind bars, we are relieved, because children who were in his proximity are safe.”
Crime activist Audrey Daniels said there was nothing to celebrate in the court outcome.
“We are sick and tired of gender-based violence and the killing of children. It was a mere child and now she will grow up going to trauma counselling. That scar has taken all of her life,” she said.
“There is a war against women and children. Even police are not taking it seriously because in many cases the dockets went missing. Now that child (may grow up) hating boys and men,” Daniels added.
On Friday, Minister of Police Bheki Cele released crime statistics for January to March that showed that 10 818 people were raped in the country and that sexual offences increased by 13.7%.
Four of the Western Cape’s police stations, Delft, Harare, Mfuleni and Kraaifontein, were the among those with the most rape cases reported.
A total of 306 children were murdered in South Africa, an increase of 83 incidents when compared to the same period last year.
“The new crime statistics show that child murders are up by 37% in the last quarter. It is a disgrace that children are not safe in our country, and all because of political interference in law-enforcement,” said Ian Cameron, director of community safety at civil society group, Action Society.
“Most violent crime has increased with reported rape cases up by a shocking 13.7% and murder up by 22.2% and the conviction rate seems to be on the decrease. Women and children are left to fend for themselves as political leadership has destroyed the integrity of the South African Police Service.”