In a decisive ruling, the Boschfontein Regional Court today sentenced 36-year-old Calvin Nhlanhla Shabangu to 12 years’ imprisonment for the brutal rape of a 19-year-old woman in August 2021. The verdict reinforces the judiciary’s stance against gender-based violence and delivers justice for the survivor.
The harrowing incident occurred on 22 August 2021, when the victim was visiting a friend at their parental home in Drikoppies Trust. After the friend left, Shabangu seized the opportunity, violently assaulting the young woman, destroying her mobile phone, and forcibly confining her to his bedroom, where he repeatedly raped her.
In a courageous act of survival, the victim managed to escape while still in distress and sought help at a nearby residence. The following day, she reported the ordeal to her family, who accompanied her to the Schoemansdal Police Station, where a rape case was officially registered. A medical examination later confirmed the assault.
The case was swiftly transferred to the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Tonga. Through the efforts of Schoemansdal Visible Policing, Shabangu was traced and arrested on the same day the report was filed.