RUSTENBURG HERALD - TLHABANE - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the 18-year imprisonment sentence handed down by the Tlhabane Regional Court to 48-year-old Jankie Mankwe for the rape of a 15-year-old girl in Phatsima Village.
He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and the court ordered his inclusion on the National Register for Sex Offenders,
According to information received from North West NPA, on 17 June 2022, the victim, a 15-year-old girl, was doing laundry outside her home in Phatsima Village near Rustenburg when Mankwe approached her, pretending to request her father’s cellphone number. He sent the children accompanying the victim to a nearby shop to buy milk, isolating her. As the victim entered her house, Mankwe followed and raped her. One of the children, returning from the shop, witnessed the assault through the door and immediately informed the victim’s mother, who was nearby. The mother reported the incident to the South African Police Service, leading to Mankwe’s arrest. He was later released on bail, pending trial.
He plead not guilty, denying the allegations, however, State Prosecutor Sangweni Zimema presented compelling evidence, including the victim’s testimony, the child witness’s account, and supporting medical evidence confirming the assault.
The NPA urges communities to remain vigilant in protecting minors, reporting abuse promptly, and supporting survivors through TCCs, which offer medical, psychological, and legal assistance.
