Seven life sentences for Limpopo man who raped three young girls
A 27-year-old Limpopo man has been handed seven life sentences for the brutal rape of three minor girls.
Vongani Sobala Shikwambana was sentenced by the Nkowankowa Regional Court on Monday, 27 October 2025, after being found guilty of seven counts of rape and one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The crimes were committed in Bonn Village, under the Letsitele policing area, in February 2017.
According to the Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malasela Ledwaba, the incident occurred on the afternoon of 26 February 2017, when Shikwambana, armed with a panga and accompanied by a dog, encountered three girls aged 9, 11, and 13.
He forced them into nearby bushes, where he repeatedly raped them.
Ledwaba said that two of the girls managed to escape, but the youngest was left behind, whom the accused further raped before robbing her of two cellphones.
“Following an intensive search by community members and the police, the accused was traced, arrested, and charged with multiple counts of rape and robbery,” says Ledwaba
He said that the case was meticulously investigated by Detective Sergeant Phumudzo Mabongo from the Tzaneen Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, which culminated in a conviction after a lengthy trial.
The court imposed seven life sentences for the rape charges and an additional 15 years for robbery.
Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Major General Jan Scheepers, welcomed the sentence and commended the investigative team and prosecution for their commitment to justice.
“This sentence sends a strong message that crimes against women and children will never be tolerated,” Scheepers said.
“We applaud the outstanding work by the investigating officer and the criminal justice system for ensuring that such a heartless perpetrator is permanently removed from society.”
Police in Limpopo have reiterated their zero-tolerance stance on gender-based violence and crimes against children, urging communities to continue working with law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice.
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