Siyabonga Lawrence Ngwenya, a 21-year-old child rapist from Mpumalanga, has been sentenced to 20 years and 22 years in prison for the rape of a seven-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl in the Nkomazi area. The first incident occurred in 2019, when Ngwenya preyed on a seven-year-old girl in Kamhlushwa. The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit from Tonga investigated the case, leading to his arrest on October 22, 2019. Ngwenya was released under the care of a guardian due to his underage status. In July 2021, he raped an 11-year-old girl in Mzinti Trust while she was visiting her grandmother. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently and Ngwenya's name will be entered into the register for sexual offenders. The Mpumalanga Police Commissioner, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, welcomed the sentencing and hoped that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others who may consider emulating Ngwenya's actions. The SAPS is committed to protecting vulnerable members of society, especially children, from such heinous crimes.
