A woman who was caught raping her 10-year-old male cousin after a birthday party has received a life sentence‚ police said on Wednesday.

The woman was convicted and sentenced in the Eshowe Regional Court in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

Lt-Col Thulani Zwane said the incident was uncovered in August 2018.

"The accused was invited to a birthday party of the younger brother of the victim at Maqhwakazi area‚ Eshowe‚" said Zwane.

"After the party‚ family members‚ the victim and the accused went to sleep in a rondavel house. In the middle of the night the accused was caught raping a 10-year-old boy inside the rondavel‚" said Zwane.

"When the boy was questioned about the rape‚ he told his mother that he had been raped twice before by the same accused."

"After an intensive investigation by our experienced Eshowe family violence‚ child protection and sexual offences unit members‚ the accused was arrested and charged with rape."