The South African Police Service (SAPS) has applauded the country’s justice system after 46 sexual offenders were sentenced to life imprisonment, while more than 2 000 others were arrested and remanded in custody over the past month.
SAPS national spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk described the development as a significant stride towards securing justice for victims of gender-based violence.
“The South African Police Service continues to record notable progress made in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide,” said Van Wyk in a media statement issued on Saturday. “During the month of September 2025, the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units arrested a total of 2 320 suspects nationwide for crimes including rape, sexual assault, abduction, attempted rape, and other related offences.”
According to Van Wyk, the SAPS currently operates 176 FCS units across the country, supported by Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation (SECI) units at both national and provincial levels.
Crunching the numbers by province
The Western Cape recorded the highest number of arrests at 536, followed by Gauteng with 459 and KwaZulu-Natal with 360.
“In the same period, 46 sexual offenders were sentenced to life imprisonment, while 35 others received sentences of 20 years or more for various sexual offences,” she said. “More recently, police in KwaZulu-Natal arrested a 36-year-old suspect in KwaDukuza on October 9, 2025, in connection with a series of rape and robbery cases reported between 2013 and 2016 in KwaDukuza, Mandeni, and Tongaat.”
Some of the convictions cited by the SAPS include:
Gauteng: The Pretoria North Magistrates’ Court sentenced a 34-year-old man to three life terms for multiple charges of rape, sexual assault, and exposing minors to pornographic material after he repeatedly sexually abused his nephew and niece.
Northern Cape: The Northern Cape High Court sentenced 43-year-old Johannes Mouton to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, 38-year-old Sanna Basson, during a domestic violence incident on November 22, 2024.
Free State: The Ladybrand Regional Court sentenced a 25-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping two minors, aged 11 and 13, in February 2022 at Manyatseng near Ladybrand.
Mpumalanga: The Boschfontein Regional Court sentenced a 35-year-old Mozambican national to 25 years’ imprisonment for raping his neighbour’s 11-year-old daughter in Hectorspruit near Malelane.
“These recent successes underscore the SAPS’s unwavering dedication and commitment to safeguarding women, children, and other vulnerable groups within our communities. Each arrest and each conviction marks a step closer to a safer South Africa for all,” said Van Wyk.
