In a landmark ruling, the Secunda Regional Court in Mpumalanga, South Africa, sentenced a 42-year-old man to four life terms on June 23, 2025, for the repeated rape of his stepdaughter, who was just 12 years old at the time of the first assault.  

The court heard chilling details of the abuse that began in October 2020. The victim, who was at the time a minor, recounted how her stepfather called her into his bedroom under the pretense of a conversation, only to touch her inappropriately while commenting on her appearance. Terrified, she fled the room, later reporting the incident to her mother. Despite her mother confronting the accused, the abuse persisted.