Eight people who are accusing the late philanthropist Sidney Frankel of sexual assault have asked the high court in Johannesburg to change the law that states that sexual assault offences‚ other than rape‚ expire after a 20-year period.

Two of them were present in court‚ their counsel Anton Katz SC said.

The eight claim they were assaulted by Frankel when they were children in the 1970s and 1980s.

However‚ the National Prosecuting Authority could not prosecute Frankel because the alleged offences occurred more than 20 years ago.

Section 18 of the Criminal Procedure Act imposes a prescription period of 20 years in which to prosecute a sexual offence other than rape.

“If the court strikes down the section‚ it will mean all men who sexually abused children more than 20 years ago could be subject to prosecution. My clients have not only been traumatised by what happened to them‚ but there is a secondary trauma because the law has not been changed‚” Katz said.

Katz said one accuser claimed that during the 1970s‚ Frankel sexually assaulted her‚ including penetration using his fingers.

“He would sit her on his lap in such a way her body would be in contact with his penis. He would insist this was good. He would penetrate her so hard and offered her a ‘Rolo’ chocolate for comfort.

“She is in court. She asked me to inform the court of what happened to her.”

Frankel died at his home in Johannesburg in March. He was 68.