The Johannesburg High Court found a scholar transport driver unfit to work with children, sentenced him to life, and listed him on the National Register for Sexual Offences.
Retshidisitsoe Moletsane, who repeatedly raped a 16-year-old student in 2020, was sentenced on Tuesday.
In the first instance, he followed the student and then raped her. Moletsane warned that if the victim did not comply, he would call other scholar transport drivers to follow suit.
Teen’s attempts to commit suicide
On another occasion, Moletsane picked up the victim from school and went to his friend’s house to rape her once more rather than dropping her off at home.
Later, the victim’s mother became suspicious when she noticed some behavioural changes in the teenager. The victim’s friends and family were also alarmed by her suicide attempts.
According to a statement released by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Moletsane’s lack of regret was at the heart of the prosecution’s case.
“The prosecutor highlighted a grave betrayal of trust, especially considering that the victim’s mother trusted the accused to transport the victim to and from school, but he took advantage of her,” according to Phindi Mjonondwane, the spokesperson for the NPA.
“She further argued that the only appropriate sentence for someone who abused his position is life imprisonment.”
Scholar transport drivers’ vetting crisis
In addition to advocating for a society where every child is safe, protected, and heard, the NPA has pledged to support survivors of sexual violence.
“We hope that this sentence brings a measure of justice and will be a step towards healing,” the NPA said in a statement.
The sentence comes amid criticism stemming from the Gauteng department of education’s failure to vet 3 400 scholar transport drivers against the Child Protection Register.
Matome Chiloane, the MEC for education in the province, acknowledged these facts in his response to DA questions submitted to the provincial legislature in May.
To request a forensic investigation into the department’s vetting crisis, the DA has reported the department to the South African Human Rights Commission.
