The Groblersdal Regional Court has sentenced 40-year-old Mthimunye Sipho Rooi to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor. The sentence was handed down on Monday, 25 May 2026. Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, welcomed the court’s decision.
According to court proceedings, the offence occurred on 08 May 2026 in Blompoort Village, within the Dennilton policing area. The 10-year-old victim was on her way to a local tuckshop when Rooi, a man known to her, asked her to accompany him to his residence. Once inside, he lured the child with chocolate and yoghurt before raping her.
The crime came to light when the victim’s extra class teacher contacted her mother to report the child’s unexplained absences. During their conversation, the girl disclosed that the accused had repeatedly stopped her on the road and called her to his house. She further stated she was afraid to go because he had previously raped her.
Following the disclosure, a case of rape was opened. Members of the Groblersdal Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) traced and arrested Rooi at his home in Blompoort on 04 April 2025.
In addition to the life sentence on one count of rape, the court declared Rooi unfit to possess a firearm.
Lt. Gen. Hadebe commended the victim and her family for their courage in reporting the crime and cooperating with investigators. She also praised the swift work of the FCS Unit in securing the arrest and emphasized the South African Police Service’s commitment to protecting vulnerable members of society and ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence and crimes against children face the full consequences of the law.
